Helensburgh Advertiser | Opinion | Facile publicity campaign

Friday, 5th September, 2008

Published: Friday, 30th November, 2007 17:20

Facile publicity campaign

Will someone tell Alan Reid MP that the election has been postponed, perhaps then he can start working for his constituents’ interests rather than his tedious and facile publicity campaign.

Those of us for whom the Vale of Leven Hospital is a pressing concern had no difficulty ensuring we were at, and contributed to, the recent public meeting. The influence of elected SNP members ensured vital evidence from local GPs was presented to Professor Mackay. It also secured a meeting for other interest groups. After years of broken promises by the Lib/Lab Executive, there is renewed hope of a fair hearing for our case.

The prompt and decisive action by the Scottish Government, the SNP administration in Dumbarton and the SNP coalition administration in Argyll and Bute has been universally welcomed whatever the conclusions of the independent review.

On the Post Office closures, Mr Reid should be using his position of trust to press the Government to change its mind on the closure programme. Mike Weir MP (SNP) has used his elected position to expose the consultation as a fraud. His questions to the Labour Government revealed the closures in England and Wales are to be postponed until after the local elections there next year.

This is no real consultation as the political decision has already been taken. It now appears that if a post office is saved another will close. Many constituents have written to me in support of the East Princes Street Post Office but will be horrified to know that if it is saved the one in Colquhoun Square may close.

Mr Reid should follow the example of the SNP at Westminster, repay our trust and do something effective to save our local Post Offices.

Councillor James Robb

Helensburgh Central

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