Commenting on reports that the Royal Mail is preparing to close or sell up to half its high street post offices, the Shadow Minister for Industry and the Economy, Michael Fabricant, said:

“The closure of 270 main post offices without any thought about replacement services is both irresponsible and damaging to the communities they serve.

“I am tabling urgent questions to Patricia Hewitt to ask whether she personally condones this decision and, if she does not, what she plans to do about ensuring that essential services are kept open.

“The next Conservative government will immediately set in place measures that would increase the viability of individual post offices.”