UKIP’S lead regional candidate for Mid and West Wales has blamed the possible closure of Aberystywth’s main post office on the EU.

Former Conservative MP and Aberystwyth University student Neil Hamilton accused local politicians of hypocrisy for supporting the UK’s continued membership of the EU while opposing the closure of the Post Office on Great Darkgate Street.

Mr Hamilton argued that the threat of closure faced by the town’s Crown Post Office was “entirely down to EU anti-competition rules” which forbids the UK Government from subsidising losses incurred by the Post Office.

Mr Hamilton said: “I well remember regularly using the Post Office back in the 1960s and ‘70s and residents of Aberystwyth are understandably shocked and dismayed about the threat hanging over it.

“No wonder so many have taken to the streets to protest at the proposed closure of the last remaining Crown Post Office for 140 miles.

“But Assembly Members need to be honest with them about the cause of the closure — it is entirely down to EU anti-competition rules.

“Not once in the recent meeting at the Morlan Centre did they tell local people that, since the year 2000, more than 6,700 Post Offices in the UK have shut — an average of over 450 every year — as a result of the EU anti-competition laws, which ban the British government from giving subsidies to loss-making post offices."

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online tomorrow