An emergency House of Keys debate this morning has resulted in a stay of execution over the closure of the main branches of the Post Office.

The decision had been made to shut the Regent Street, Douglas, and Parliament Street, Ramsey branches and move existing services to sub-post offices in nearby Spar shops.

Post Office chairman Graham Cregeen moved an amendment to Kate Beecroft's urgent motion to postpone the closures. His amendment to delay what he called the 'planned conversion' for three months was carried in a 13-11 vote.

Mrs Beecroft complained this assumed the closures would go ahead, but in three months' time, rather than an examination of all the options.

She said too much had already happened behind closed doors, with no staff or union consultations and no public tender for the Post Office business. Mr Cregeen said there was no other way of reducing operating costs without severely curtailing operations throughout the Isle of Man. Post Office vice-chairman Leonard Singer said the public relations had been 'abysmal' and that people were angry, while David Cretney said that it was not the right way forward for the government to take ?2million annually from a business in decline. Alf Cannan said no business 'should be subject to that level of taxation'.

Brenda Cannell said the whole affair was an 'absolute fiasco that further undermines the public's confidence in this government', while Chief Minister Allan Bell emphasised that there had been 'no underhand agreements'.

Got a story? Contact Joanne on 340000 or email newsdesk@manx.net

twitter @jonewsiom