Scotland faces a "massive cull" of urban post offices with the announcement today of the planned closure of 44 branches, half in Greater Glasgow.

Scotland faces a "massive cull" of urban post offices with the announcement today of the planned closure of 44 branches, half in Greater Glasgow.

MPs at Westminster insisted there would be an angry political and public backlash to the "disastrous" axing of what they see as an essential community service.

The planned closures for Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll and Bute - details of which were leaked to The Herald - are the first instalment of six regional cuts across Scotland in the coming months and which, campaigners claim, may lead to the loss of hundreds of urban and rural branches.

A six-week consultation on the proposed cuts will now begin but MPs have already dismissed it as a sham, insisting that the closures are, as far as the Post Office and government are concerned, a "fait accompli".

Today's announcement follows a damaging postal strike which last night appeared to be all but over after union leaders ratified a deal on pay and modernisation aimed at halting months of disruption to mail deliveries. Members will now vote on the deal.

Increased competition from online services and banks means UK-wide four million fewer people a week are using post offices than just two years ago. Consequently, the network is losing up to £4m a week.

In March 2001 there were 1933 branches across Scotland. By March this year the number had fallen to 1651.

Last night, Mike Weir, the SNP's business spokesman, was scathing about the latest planned cuts for Scotland, saying it would have "a hugely detrimental effect on many communities". He added: "If this goes ahead, it will make a mockery of the government's claims of promoting financial inclusion. It will undermine the economic heart of communities."

Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats' Scottish spokesman, blamed the government's "systematic withdrawal" of business from post offices for the crisis.

The MP for Orkney and Shetland pointed out how there would be a political price to pay for Gordon Brown's government, given the latest round of planned closures were in Labour-held constituencies.

"These are frontline services being removed for the convenience of the government rather than for the convenience of the people. I would confidently predict an angry backlash from Labour voters in Labour seats and given the drubbing the party took in May, this will be making Labour back benchers at Westminster very jumpy," he added.

His colleague Jo Swinson, who represents East Dunbartonshire, branded the changes "disastrous" and denounced the consultation process as "a token exercise".

Labour's Ann McKechin, the MP for Glasgow North, condemned the cull as "totally unacceptable", noting how half in her local area were earmarked for the chop. "The Post Office must think again; these post offices are more than just a business, they are an important part of our local communities."

While Greater Glasgow with 22 planned closures suffers the brunt, seven are earmarked for Argyll and Bute, a similar number for Falkirk, five for West Dunbartonshire and three for Stirling.

Alan Reid, LibDem MP for Argyll and Bute, was delighted that every village post office in his constituency had escaped the axe. The government had announced in March that one in five post offices was to close. This would have meant 20 in Argyll and Bute. However, there were only seven on their hit list and they were in towns.

Mr Reid said: "I'm delighted every village post office in my constituency has been spared the axe. However, I will still fight tooth and nail to save the seven town post offices."

The Post Office tried to reassure its customers last night.

A spokeswoman said the announcement today would show "almost 90% of the total area's population will see no change at all to their nearest branch and 99.9% of the population will either see no change to their nearest branch or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch".

Last December, Alistair Darling, the then trade secretary, announced that 2500 branches across the UK would close by 2009, with 500 replaced with an "outreach" service in, say, village halls.

There was growing concern last night many neighbourhood convenience stores would also be forced out of business if associated post offices closed.

Postwatch Scotland said an economic impact study was required as part of the consultation. Director Tricia Dow said: "We have to look at the wider economic impact of post office closures especially in rural areas where the store and post office may be the only shop in the village."