Not the only issue

I READ David Bradley's letter to the Mercury with great interest and am glad to see that he is obviously 'on message' insofar as Labour's national policy apropos of Post Office closures is concerned. Despite submitting to the usual tactic that politicians (and prospective politicians) almost always seem to employ of blaming previous administrations for any ills that affect society, some of the points raised are probably quite valid and I am sure that Post Office usage has declined over the past few years. I accept that the advent of e-mail and SMS text, etc., have obviously played their part, but this is not the only issue.It is my understanding that the Government has actively played their part in reducing the profitability and thus the viability of the Post Office by restricting the products they are able to offer and opening up for competition services which were once the exclusive preserve of the Post Office. Is it any wonder that profitability has been affected? What the Government doesn't seem to realise or acknowledge is that post offices are a vital part of society in the UK, particularly in rural areas where they often provide other facilities well beyond the scope of the Post Office. It does not address the real issue which is that a substantial amount of people will be seriously inconvenienced by its actions, especially the infirm, elderly and similar disadvantaged groups. Once post offices have gone, then it will be very difficult to replace them and the required infrastructure to make them work.RICHARD BENNETT - Hillmead, off Pudding Pie LaneLANGFORD