IPSWICH'S MP Chris Mole has come under fire following claims he backtracked on a pledge to fight the closure of post offices in the town.Ben Gummer, the Conservative candidate for Ipswich at the next election, said despite claiming to fight closures Mr Mole actually voted in support of the move.

IPSWICH'S MP Chris Mole has come under fire following claims he backtracked on a pledge to fight the closure of post offices in the town.

Ben Gummer, the Conservative candidate for Ipswich at the next election, said despite claiming to fight closures Mr Mole actually voted in support of the move.

Mr Mole recently voted against a motion in parliament calling for the axing of post offices to be suspended and “re-assessed”.

Despite recently campaigning to save the Fore Street branch in Ipswich and being pictured outside the London Road branch calling for it to be saved, Mr Mole said he voted against the motion as it was necessary for some post offices to close nationally because the current network is not viable.

He said: “There are many post offices that see less than 100 customers a week but clearly that wasn't the case in Ipswich where I think it is the role of a local MP to bring to the attention of Post Office Ltd issues they may have overlooked, which I certainly did.

“They weren't aware of development proposals in the vicinity of Fore Street which were taken into account and the decision on that was changed.”

However Mr Gummer said: “Chris Mole is a coward: either he stands up for government policy or he stands up for Ipswich post offices.

“Trying to do one thing in Westminster to please his political masters and another in Ipswich to look good for the voters will not, in the long run, impress anyone.

“In October last year Chris said he was 'extremely disappointed' by the closures - what has changed?

“I'm staggered that he has the nerve to say one thing to the people of Ipswich and then do completely the opposite in the House of Commons.

“Ipswich deserves an MP who will stand up for the needs and concerns of local people and not put their own political ambitions ahead of the interests of the community.”

It was last year that Royal Mail confirmed plans to close three Ipswich post offices, at Christchurch Street, Norwich Road, and London Road, but reversed its decision to include the Fore Street branch in Ipswich in the closure programme Ipswich.

n. Do you believe Mr Mole has backtracked over post offices? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk