SNP and Labour politicians have joined forces to call on the new Employment Minister to scrap plans to shut half of Glasgow’s Jobcentres.

MPs, MSPs and councillors have signed a letter which will be one of the first to land on the desk of Alok Sharma, the new Minister of Employment at the DWP, following Theresa May’s reshuffle.

The city politicians have asked Mr Sharma to visit the city, something his predecessors failed to do despite repeated invitations including from the Evening Times as part of our Hands of Our Jobcentres campaign.

The letter sent by Glasgow East SNP MP, David Linden, highlights the problems in some of the poorest areas of the city where the closures will take place.

The DWP is pushing ahead with plan to shut the JobCentres in Anniesland, Bridgeton, Easterhouse, Langside, Maryhill and Parkhead.

It has been signed by all of the other six city MPs, six SNP MSPs, four Labour MSPs and Susan Aitken, SNP Leader of Glasgow City Council and Frank McAveety, Labour Group Opposition leader.

The letter states: “As a cross-party group of politicians representing Glasgow, we remain deeply concerned about the consequences of these proposed closures.

“ It is our sincere belief that complex issues relating to transport, territorialism and digital exclusion have all been seriously overlooked during the decision to disproportionately cut Glasgow’s Jobcentre network. Indeed, this is a view shared by Citizens Advice Bureaux, Churches and trade unions.

Mr Sharma has been moved to the Employment Minister role after Damian Hinds was promoted to Education Secretary.

HE has been asked to visit Glasgow as a matter of urgency to meet the politicians and people affected by the Jobcentre closures to her the arguments for reversing the decision.

The letter added: “Despite repeated requests, your predecessor did not take the time to actually visit Glasgow, to hear and see first-hand the damaging impact these proposed closures will have on our city.

“With one location already having shut its doors and many more closures imminent, it is crucial that you prioritise a visit to our city.”

The Evening Times Hands off Our Jobcentres campaign highlighted the costly and lengthy bus journeys that people would have to make, the lack in internet access and skills in the poorest communities and the difficulties the closures would cause.

It attracted support from all political parties and Citizens advice Bureaux, churches and also I Daniel Blake film director, Ken Loach.