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Daily Press delivers 'people's bank'

Post Office bosses have praised the Western Daily Press after it was announced that the Government had reached agreement with leading banks for a ‘people’s bank’.

The scheme was suggested by the newspaper in February, as part of its popular campaign to save provincial post offices from closure.

It will allow pensioners and benefit recipients to access their payments using a new account.

The scheme will replace the Government’s original plan to pay all benefits into bank accounts – a move which would have threatened the existence of 8,000 post offices in Britain.

By April, 3m people had signed a Daily Press petition against the plan and editor Ian Beales delivered the completed forms to 10 Downing Street.

Since then, there has been speculation the Government would adopt the ‘people’s bank’ proposal, but no announcement came.

The Government has now revealed plans to adopt the scheme – and postmasters across the country are celebrating.

Stuart Manning, Gloucester branch secretary of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, said: “Delighted is the word that comes to mind.

“The sooner it is in place the better, but it has been a great campaign by the Western Daily Press. I think you should put a rosette on your front page.

Sandi Brocklehurst, Taunton branch secretary, said: “The Western Daily Press campaign was very successful simply because the general public still wanted to collect their money from the post offices.”

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