GORDON BROWN tried to shift the blame for unpopular post office closures yesterday by insisting Royal Mail managers were responsible for the plan to axe 2,500 outlets.

In a Downing Street interview, the Prime Minister said the Government was saving – rather than shutting – vulnerable branches, with an expensive subsidy programme over the next few years.

Mr Brown also insisted 99% of people would either be unaffected by the closures, or would still live within one mile of a post office.

The comments will be attacked by critics who will point out the Government changed the access criteria to enable post offices to be axed, including around 40 across Merseyside and Cheshire.

It relaxed rules laid down in 2000, so that only 90% of the population must now live within one mile of a branch. In rural areas, 95% must be within three miles.

Furthermore, just two weeks ago, Labour MPs voted against halting the closure programme, pending a review – sparking accusations of hypocrisy against those MPs fighting to save local branches.

Mr Brown also insisted Rhys Jones’s killer would be “brought to justice”, as he defended the inquiry by Merseyside Police.

And he pointed to recent spending announcements – on neighbourhood policing, free bus travel for the elderly, more NHS check-ups and insulating homes – as proof that Labour was still putting public services first.

On post office closures, which have sparked protests up and down the country, Mr Brown said “This is a decision that is being made by the Post Office itself.

“They have come to us, and got more money from us, to enable them to carry out a programme that will cost us £1.7bn over the next few years.

“Remember, when there were thousands of closures under the Tories, that no government money was ever provided for transitional help. We are providing £1.7bn to help these changes in way that is more sensitive to the needs of people.”

Pointing out that 4m people had deserted their post office in just two years, Mr Brown added: “Thousands of post offices remain in existence as a result of the help that we are giving.”

That help included 500 “mobile post offices” – or outreach services – that would replace many of the outlets being lost, he said.

On gun crime, Mr Brown said the Government had given the police and courts extra powers, including five-year jail terms for possession, more stop-and-search and metal detectors.

And he said: “I still believe the killer of Rhys Jones will be brought to justice.

“It is very important to recognise that the police are working very hard on this. There are reasons why it has been difficult, but they are working very hard.”