Therese has today formally submitted her petition to the House of Commons to try and keep open the last remaining branch of Barclays Bank in Suffolk Coastal. The premises on Main Street, Leiston is currently due to close at noon on Friday 17th of May, but Therese is calling on the Government and the Financial Conduct Authority to intervene.
Therese said: “A huge thank you to the 1,762 people who signed my petition. Barclays is the last bank in Leiston and the last branch of Barclays in Suffolk Coastal after the closures of seven other branches over the last decade. We are in a digital age, but I know how much of a life-line local bank branches are for all sectors of the community, especially for local businesses and elderly and vulnerable residents.”
“Last year the government changed the law so the Financial Conduct Authority can start investigating these closures and that’s why I’m also pressing the case with them. The petition requests they publish their assessment of the justification given by Barclays for the closure of its Leiston branch.”
Therese added: “I’ve also been pursuing the shameful and shameless behaviour of Barclays Bank through the Treasury Select Committee and on the floor of the House of Commons. Earlier this week, I attended a roundtable on bank closures, where it came to light that LINK only considers the impact of a bank or cashpoint closure on a town plus a 1km circumference. That is not how the rural economy works, so I am pursuing that with ministers. I’m grateful to the Economic Secretary to the Treasury for his commitment in working with me on this and I’m pleased the City Minister has also agreed to meet me soon.”
