Three Sussex MPs who campaigned to keep post offices open in their constituencies helped the Government avoid an embarrassing defeat on the issue this week. Pressure group Living Streets has campaigned in Brighton and Hove to keep services and shops. Campaigner STEPHEN YOUNG explains why people feel let down by their MPs' decision.

MPs have been engaged in a desperate attempt at political spin with their cosmetic campaigns to save doomed post offices.

When it came to the crunch vote this week they still supported the Government's closure programme.

What an insult to the intelligence of their constituents and to businesses, and what a mockery it makes of this Government's claim to support sustainable local communities.

The consultation has been a complete sham. Not a single closure in Sussex has been averted.

David Lepper, Celia Barlow and Michael Foster are part of the Government that has made these plans and required Post Office Ltd to undertake the closure programme.

It is hard to see how they think they can have it both ways.

They had the opportunity to support a motion to suspend the closures by rebelling against the Government - as 19 of their colleagues did.

Instead Mr Lepper (Brighton Pavilion), Mrs Barlow (Hove), and Mr Foster (Hastings and Rye) helped the Government block the motion by 20 votes.

Even Cabinet ministers have adopted the same tactic.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Olympics minister Tessa Jowell were all in the Cabinet when it approved the closure strategy last May.

But they have campaigned for services in their own backyards to remain open.

Living Streets is nonparty political, and campaigns to put the balance back into the way we use our streets.

These should reflect the needs of all their users, particularly those who don't drive. This not only keeps services within communities but encourages people to walk as recommended by the Government to combat obesity.

Many more people are no longer within walking distance of a post office.

Before the latest round of closures, 94 per cent of the population were within a mile. Now that proportion has fallen to 90 per cent.

This means that potentially 2.4 million people will no longer have a walk of less than a mile to their nearest post office, reducing the likelihood of them walking.

Post offices are an important part of the network of local shops.

The number of post offices has declined as a result of changing customer demand but also because the Government has withdrawn many services which used to be a key part of the post office business, such as pensions and benefits.

Like many others in Brighton and Hove, the post office in Richardson Road - now closed - provided essential services and brought trade to other shops and service providers. Richardson Road is a bustling centre but closing the post office could severely weaken its future prospects.

Post office closures show that short-term, narrow financial interests are being allowed to undermine other aspects of Government policies.

The National Audit Office has criticised Post Office Ltd for its "slow progress" in creating other ways of delivering services, particularly in rural areas.

This is another example of how ill thought-out the policy is. Closing post offices is another blow to efforts to see our neighbourhoods and communities thrive.

Our politicians appeared to recognise this but when it mattered they failed to represent their constituents' views.

Is Stephen Young justified in accusing MPs of hypocrisy? Let us know your thoughts below.