"All banks should follow Clydesdale's Post Office example" - Rennie

12.28.55pm GMT Mon 6th Nov 2006

Commenting on the news, released today, that the value of Clydesdale Bank customers' transactions at Post Offices has broken the £500 million mark, Willie Rennie, Liberal Democrat MP for Dunfermline and West Fife said:

"Today's news from the Clydesdale Bank shows the value that banks can gain from making use of the Post Office network. Other banks, and government, should follow the example of enabling customers to do more business - not less - at Post Offices.

"With a network of 14,500 branches across the country - many in rural and deprived urban areas with no other banking facilities - the Post Office is often the only local facility for people to access cash and other financial services. Closing down thousands of Post Offices, which is what the Labour government seems to be planning, would seriously undermine financial exclusion.

"It is sad that many other High Street bank continue to refuse to allow most of their customers to use Post Offices, and that the Post Office has been denied access to the Link network. Not only would such a move been good for Post Offices, it would benefit banks, and most important it would be a boost to vulnerable people and communities."