Carmarthen west and south Pembrokeshire MP Nick Ainger has defended his decision to vote against a Commons motion to suspend the compulsory post office closures in the county and across the UK.

Mr Ainger said that this was not the time for hiding heads in the sand and that delaying the action would only make things worse.

"Political gestures like delaying action, won't address the problem - it will make it worse," said Mr Ainger.

"We need to build on the success of the outreach pilot schemes in south Pembrokeshire, where post office services are delivered in a range of ways using community halls, pubs, shops and direct to customers' homes. Elsewhere there are mobile post offices, some incorporated in mobile libraries.

"That is the future for a viable post office service, not hiding your head in the sand, hoping the problem will go away," he added.

Mr Ainger's vote has been criticised by Plaid Cymru AM, Nerys Evans and the south Pembrokeshire Conservative parliamentary candidate Simon Hart.

Miss Evans, who is also a former sub-postmistress, said: "I am disappointed so little support was given to the motion to stop these plans. I am sure residents in Pembrokeshire, who are worried about the future of their post offices, will not be happy to see their local MP voting to force them out of business."

Mr Hart said: "Mr Ainger campaigned to save Lawrenny post office and yet he failed to stand up to his own Government when it came to the crunch.

"He is either guilty of hypocrisy or weakness when it comes to putting the interests of Pembrokeshire before those of the Government."