Services postal cuts are 'penny pinching'
A prospective MP has launched an attack on a 'penny pinching' move to cut postal services to British armed forces personnel serving abroad.
Tory Caroline Dinenage has denounced government plans to scrap 'vital' British Forces Post Office (BPFO) services and send mail through foreign companies instead.
She said: 'The government's plan to save 1m by scrapping this vital service shows just what a mess the nation's finances are in.
'As a naval wife I know there are three cardinal things for a serviceman which the government messes about with at its peril - food, pay and mail.'
Ms Dinenage is due to stand in the general election for the Conservative party in Gosport to replace Gosport MP Sir Peter Viggers, who has been forced to step down by the party after the MP's expenses scandal.
If elected, she vows to fight cuts to the armed forces mail, she said.
'The British Forces Post Office is the lifeline between family and servicemen.
'The expertise gleaned over many years by professionals serving in BFPO ensure that link is maintained - and it is under the control of MoD.
To delegate it out to foreign postal services, who are most unlikely to have the welfare of British servicemen at heart, is ridiculous and uncaring.
'Whilst we have 10,000 servicemen fighting a war in Afghanistan and many more in support roles, this is not a time to potentially upset the current BFPO mail system.'
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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