Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
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by Lib Dem team on 13 July, 2011
Our local MP Mark Hunter started the the campaign to save the cheque back in 2009. It not only attracted a lot of support locally, but also across the country with MPs and campaigners from all parties taking up the call.
And this week we’ve had the news that the campaign has been successful – due to public pressure, the UK Payments Council have relented and will no longer scrap the cheque.
If you don’t normally use cheques you might wonder what all the fuss is about. For those who do (and I write many, not least to school and local tradesmen) it’s been very clear that good alternatives don’t exist now and no-one’s got any idea how to develop them. Online banking is great for many things, but simply doesn’t do the job that cheques do.
Now this decision has been taken, I hope that the banks will look at how they can reduce the cost of cheques to themselves.
5 CommentsThe UK Payments Council have today announced that they are to reverse their decision to scrap cheques by 2018 and continue their use for as long as customers need them. Cheadle MP Mark Hunter, who originally launched the ‘save the cheque’ campaign through an Early Day Motion in Parliament in November 2009 – which quickly attracted over 100 signatures of fellow MPs – heralded the announcement as a fantastic triumph and victory for common sense.
Mr Hunter has consistently fought Payments Council plans to scrap cheques which would have caused massive inconvenience for millions of the country’s most vulnerable people – particularly those who are disabled, elderly or housebound.
The payments council, which represents all the main high street banks, had previously been determined to stick to their guns and abolish the cheque by 2018 in a move described by the Cheadle MP as ‘short-sighted’ and ‘self-serving’.
On hearing the news today, Mr Hunter commented:
“This is a great victory for people power and proves that the banks cannot afford to ignore the views of the people.
“Many small businesses, charities, voluntary groups and others will welcome this climb down with open arms. I am absolutely delighted by this news.”
Excellent news and congratulations to Mark.
Like most of us, I don’t write many cheques these days but,on the occasions when I do, they’re still valuable. There are times when I simply don’t want to pay a local tradesperson in cash (and I’m sure the Inland Revenue would agree 😉 )
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Yes a very good result. Pity the debit card guarantee will go, though. This will surely reduce the willingness of tradesmen to accept cheques.
Well done Mark on behalf of a lot of elderly peole like my uncle who dont have on line banking and find it difficult to communicate on the telephone.You will have saved them a lot of distress and inconvenience
You LibDems… you like your ‘paperwork’ !