The cabinet either believe some post offices need to be closed ...

... or they don't.

However it seems some cabinet ministers, upto seven present and former members of the cabinet according to this report, appear in two minds about the issue. Or, 'two-faced', if you like, by campaigning simultaneously to 'represent' (allegedly) their constituents' views and going along with the cabinet's decision to back the closure of a very significant number of post offices.

I expect it's simply a case of economic realities coming face to face with electoral opportunism - these cabinet ministers, however 'high and mighty' they may be whilst they benefit from the ministerial car and the higher 'perks' (an even higher remuneration package than that received by common or garden MPs), must still go through the ritual of getting re-elected a minimum of once every five years. I think that it is in this context that one needs to view certain cabinet ministers' divided loyalties - although quite how a constituency MP can campaign for the government (of which he/she is a cabinet member) to change a government policy is one perhaps for a psychiatrist rather than a mere blogger!

PS/ I have no particular view one way or the other on the post office closure debate. I tend to think that the closure of some post offices is justified on the grounds of cost - although the reasons for this situation having arisen (removal of certain revenue-earning services which post offices used to provide, for reasons of efficiency allegedly) is perhaps less clearcut. For a much less equivocal view on this matter, visit A Gurn from Nurn where Graisg has recently been campaigning against the closure of Nairn's Harbour Street post office.

PPS/ This blog has been silent for the past week as I have had my first official guests at my new place in Spain - they left earlier this week, after a very enjoyable interlude (for all of us, I think) so I should now be able to get back to semi-regular blogging again.