The Royal Mail was privatised by a Lib Dem Business Secretary under the coalition Government.
Sadly, this year it means many people have been in touch with me about poor services in SE1 and SE17 especially. The Crampton Street Royal Mail sorting office and collection point for missed mail is also up for closure despite frequent queues round the block demonstrating its use.
Locally, we also face the privatisation of two ‘crown’ Post Offices – on Blackfriars Road and on the Walworth Road. Nationally, this policy of selling off the state owned post offices will cause 2,000 job losses with many communities facing the loss of vital services. I’ve asked if one local office could be helped by taking on the busy collection point from Crampton Street. This has so far been refused. Staff could face pay cuts, with taxpayers subsidising lower pay under private operators through housing benefits and tax credits.
Local residents also face travelling much further to collect mail from the Mandela Way depot, including older and disabled people. I’m working with councillors and local campaigners to press the Post Office and Royal Mail to do better. If you’d like to be involved, contact me at: Neil.Coyle.MP@parliament.uk, call me on 020 7219 8733 or write to me at: Neil Coyle MP, House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA.
I hope you’ve also heard about Labour electing to the leadership post (excuse the pun!). I support Owen Smith to be the next leader. The Bermondsey and Old Southwark constituency party members who have been in touch with me and members who attended the nomination meeting also backed Owen. His policies on housing, the NHS, infrastructure, broadband and equal pay would benefit Southwark and I hope the national party follows my local Labour Party’s lead!
Having been involved in saving other local pubs, the Campaign for Real Ale have also asked me to advertise to as many local people as possible to join us at The China Hall on Lower Road at 2pm this Saturday, 20th August, to get it signed up as an ‘asset of community value’. Please come along if you’re free!
If you need to see me about any issue, my weekly advice surgery is 4-6pm Fridays at 149-151 Jamaica Road, SE16 4SH. Info on other advice sessions can be found at: www.boslabour.org.uk/surgeries