Under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown the Labour Party elevated the art of political spin to a new level.

It seems this art is now even pervading Bolton Council.

Cllr Morris welcomed the Government’s decision not to close another 3,000 post offices by awarding Post Office Card Account service to post offices (November 18).

This was, of course, welcome news but it was only done after considerable delay and months of uncertainty.

However, what the news masked was some of the key points of the current situation.

Hundreds of sub-post offices have already been closed.

Bolton Council, in response to a motion from the Conservatives, agreed to look at ways to prevent the recent round of closures. However, it took so long to address the issue that the closures happened.

One way the Conservatives suggested the council could help was by using post offices to support council services. Labour agreed about this.

So imagine my surprise to recently find that a colleague who pays his council tax at the local post office received a letter from Bolton Council, under Cllr Morris’s control, urging him to pay his council tax by direct debit — not at the local post office.

Once again, Labour says one thing but does the opposite.

Cllr John Walsh OBE Conservative Group Leader Bolton Council