A senior MP has accused the business department of running a "sham" consultation over post office closures.

Edward Leigh, chairman of the public accounts committee, said the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) had "bulldozed" through its proposals to close nearly 2,500 branches of the post office network.

He was commenting on a report from the National Audit Office (NAO), published today, which said that - while the network change programme had met its targets - had suffered from poor communication and caused "resentment" among customers.

Leigh said: "Given the crucial importance to many in the community of a local post office, I am amazed at the feeble attempts to communicate with people.

"The consultation period lasted only a few weeks and research showed that just 18 per cent of people knew they were being consulted.

"I regard the consultation as little more than a sham; the department ran roughshod over local residents’ concerns and bulldozed the proposals through."

Postal affairs minister Pat McFadden did not comment on the standard of the consultation, but said the closures had been a "difficult and unpopular but necessary to reduce losses" that had reached half a million pounds a day across the network.

"Things are looking brighter for the Post Office network", he added, since it was awarded the government contract for payment and benefits and the new driving licence renewal contract.

The government would not support another round of closures, he added.