In your article about the campaign against post office closures (Oxford Mail, March 17), Oxford East MP Andrew Smith was quoted as saying: "This highlights the immense strength of concern and how much people want to keep their post offices in Oxford and across the county. Let's keep up the campaign - and let's win this one."

And he's right - these closures, like those proposed for the Iffley and Grandpont branches in Oxford East, are causing real concern.

They affect everyone in the community, but mostly they hit the elderly and vulnerable people who would have to travel further to already overcrowded branches like St Aldate's.

So why on Wednesday last week in the House of Commons, when he had the chance to vote to stop the closure programme for a rethink, did Mr Smith vote against our motion which would have done just that?

I, and my fellow Conservative candidate in Oxford West and Abingdon, Nicola Blackwood, have been fighting hard to save our post offices on the ground in Oxford, and putting our case to ministers in London, yet Mr Smith says one thing to the Mail and does another in London - a case of trying to be all things to all people?

ED ARGAR Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Oxford East