THE decision to close six Jobcentres in Glasgow is lazy, opportunistic and callous.

In shutting almost half of the Jobcentres in the city the DWP has ignored the overwhelming opposition in hundreds of responses to the consultation.

The DWP received 300 responses and the vast majority raised concerns about the increased travel time and the associated costs, the likelihood of sanctions and the impact on communities if a large employer is taken out.

They simply were not prepared to listen.

The DWP said in its justification that the current offices were not of the right size and had to close.

However, if it was about the unsuitability of the offices to deliver the appropriate services then other premises could be sourced and Jobcentres kept in the area.

In Castlemilk, which has been saved, the DWP said it would carry on with a short tem lease until it finds suitable premises of the right size.

The same could be done in Anniesland, Bridgeton, Easterhouse, Langside, Maryhill and Parkhead.

But the DWP didn’t bother to look to see if this was possible.

It also didn’t bother to travel to the areas and test the routes that job seekers are expected to take to see if they were feasible.

Instead it was carried out with internet maps and bus timetables, some of which are out of date.

If the cat wasn’t already out the bag, Work and Pensions Secretary, David Gauke, told the House of Commons the real reason for the closures.

He said the end of a leasing contract presented an “opportunity” to review the service and to deliver “best value for the tax payer".

He and the DWP response mentioned the needs of claimants must be balanced with fairness for the tax payer.

The scale has well and truly tipped in favour of saving money that balance cannot possibly be used to describe it.

The DWP and the UK Government spotted an opportunity and grabbed it and wasn’t letting it go.

By the end of a session in the House of Commons where MPs from all over the UK lined up to quiz Mr Gauke on the decision he was visibly uninterested and parroted previous answers rather than engage with MPs who had genuine concerns.

Stock answers on sanctions not being automatic for lateness to dismiss concerns people will lose money due to travel difficulties and how people who work are expected to get two or more buses to get to work were trotted out.

Many MPs from other areas mentioned the specifics of the Glasgow case and how it was treated disproportionately.

The answer was it still had more jobcentres per head of population that other cities.

Yes Mr Gauke, and there is a very good reason for that, which would be obvious if you or any of your colleagues chose to visit the city.

There is a greater level of need, largely due to the efforts of your current Conservative Government and its predecessors.

But if we didn’t know already, we do now, you don’t care about that.