Fred Mackintosh condemns cuts to British Forces Post Office Service

9.35.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 28th Sep 2009

Edinburgh South Liberal Democrat Westminster Spokesperson Fred Mackintosh is urging local people to back the British Forces Post Office service to Europe in a petition on the Number 10 Website.

By September 2010 the Government will have closed the BFPO post centres at 10 British bases in Europe, including Portugal, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Gibraltar and parts of Germany. This will mean that service families will have to pay full postage to contact their loved ones and services that require UK address - especially banks - will not be available to personal based near the closed offices.

Fred Mackintosh commented, "In a time of war the withdrawal of these postal services encourages the belief that Government is more interested in small cash savings than the needs of our service people around the world. I have signed the petition I hope many more residents of South Edinburgh will do so and that the Government will back down."

Press reports suggest that the closures will save just £1.7 million each year.

Fred Mackintosh has also called for the Government to award big pay rises to military personnel many of whom are risking their lives on the Afghanistan front line. He is backing new Liberal Democrat policy to give the worst paid servicemen and women, who earn less than trainee police officers and firefighters, pay rises worth almost £6,000 a year.

Fred Mackintosh said: "Every day young men and women are putting their lives on the line, fighting in terrible conditions in Afghanistan. What is their reward from this Labour Government? Shockingly poor pay that leaves them on the poverty line and their families back at home hungry.

"The Liberal Democrats would put a stop to this straight away. We will raise the pay of the lowest paid troops by an extra £6,000 a year. The average basic pay across the ranks of private and lance corporal would rise to around £25,000.

Related Links:

Sign the petition on the Number 10 Website.

Sign our petition for better armed forces pay.