Costly card for Scott (From Gazette Series)

Costly card for Scott

A STUDENT has been forced to pay for his own birthday card from MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown.

Scott McGuire, 18, from Wotton-under-Edge, had to pay £1.21 to collect a birthday card from his local post office when the Conservative MP forgot to put a stamp on the envelope.

Mr McGuire woke on his birthday, March 1, to an anticipated pile of birthday cards but to his surprise he also received a note from the post office.

"I had a card through saying there was a letter at the post office ready for collection," he told the Gazette.

"When I got to the post office, paid the £1.21 and collected it I was a little shocked to find it was a card from my MP.

"I thought it was ironic, if he wanted to wish me happy birthday why didn't he pay for it? Unfortunately you don't know what the delivery is until you pay for it," said Mr McGuire.

Mr McGuire had to pay 21 pence for the missing stamp and a £1 handling charge for the post office.

Mr McGuire, an A Level student at Stroud College, has written to Mr Clifton-Brown informing him of his costly mistake and demanding an explanation.

"I sent him a letter saying what had happened and he replied quite quickly, well his secretary did anyway, saying he was sorry and they included some stamps for me too," said Mr McGuire.

And it seems Mr Clifton-Brown's mailing error may have lost him a vote. Mr McGuire told the Gazette he would not be voting for the Conservative party in the near future.

"I won't be voting for him at the next election, not after this," he said.

"Geoffrey Clifton-Brown doesn't even know me. It is only because I am now 18 and eligible to vote.

"He only wants my vote that is all. I think he must bulk buy and just send cards out to anyone who turns 18. It's quite an insult really," said Mr McGuire.

Mr Clifton-Brown was not available to comment as the Gazette went to press.