ISLAND MP Andrew Turner has delivered an attack on the government after the announcement that two local post offices are to close.

Mr Turner was speaking in the Commons after the Post Office announced plans to shut outlets in Haylands, Ryde, and Tennyson Road, Cowes.

He claimed the closures could have been prevented if the government had adopted a "positive vision" for the network's future and said Whitehall was neglecting rural areas.

He also urged pensioners and benefit recipients to help secure the future of their local branch.

Mr Turner said: "When the government is moving payment of pensions and benefits directly into people's bank accounts, instead of at post offices, they should accept the responsibility for maintaining this essential network in rural and urban areas.

"Instead they are encouraging the closure of urban post offices and doing little to maintain the rural network."

Mr Turner called on the government to actively inform pensioners and others of their right to use bank and card accounts to withdraw money at post offices and to develop a role for post offices as one-stop shops for government services.

He said utilities such as Southern Electric should be encouraged to keep their keymeter payment centres close to the people rather than moving them to town centres.

"Pensioners and benefit recipients also have a role in securing the future of their local post offices, by using bank accounts there or opening post office card accounts," said Mr Turner.