Last Thursday the Government confirmed closure of 2,500 post offices across the country. This was after a three month consultation raised so many objections that the Government was forced to delay its response for two months.

It seems the objectors, me and many local community groups and residents included, need not have bothered.

By the time of the next election, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown will have closed over one third of the entire Post Office network.

Government departments and agencies have themselves been responsible for much of the rapid decline in business within sub-post offices - £168m in lost revenues last year alone. Yet there is no sign of the Government seeking to find ways to generate customer traffic by delivering public services through post offices.

The cross-party group on Rural Services, which I chair, has pushed for special definitions to apply when considering closures in rural areas. Distance and access criteria, particularly where rural local communities risk losing their last village shop - with limited public transport at best - shoud not be the same as in urban areas. Rural areas should also be given priority for the promised 500 mobile post offices to help the elderly and most vulnerable in our communities.

It is not yet clear when Shropshire will be assessed for individual closures during the 18 months set aside for the heartbreaking process of deciding which branches will continue to be supported and which will not and so close. Whenever this comes, I shall be a strong voice to save as many post offices in the Ludlow constituency as possible.