'Nero' Morgan fiddles while Post Offices burn

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd May 2006

Rhodri Morgan has been branded "Nero-esque" over his 'do nothing' strategy for saving Wales' under threat post offices.

Mike German, Assembly leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, challenged Mr Morgan at First Minister's Questions, but was alarmed to hear the First Minister had no ideas and no plans to save under threat post offices.

Mr German said: "Rhodri Morgan's wait and see policy is 'Nero-esque'. He is fiddling while the post office network in Wales goes up in smoke. Rural post offices in Wales are closing at twice the rate of those in England. They are further threatened by Labour's plans to scrap the post office card account.

"This is the second time this month I have quizzed him on the subject. And the second time he has shown he has no idea what to do, beyond waiting.

"He refuses to campaign against the potentially catastrophic scrapping of the card account. And he has refused to reopen the Post Office Development Fund which Welsh Liberal Democrats introduced during the Partnership Government to help over 100 post offices to survive.

"Do more post offices have to close before Rhodri's government takes any action? It should be the role of the Assembly government to provide leadership on this issue - finding innovative ways to assist our communities in retaining these vital facilities.

Eleanor Burnham, AM for North Wales, also quizzed the First Minister on the issue. She said: "The Post Office Development Fund proved itself a great success. The tools are there - we are just waiting for Rhodri to pick them up and use them."