IT is the final hours for three Glasgow Jobcentres as the city sees one a week shut over the next three weeks in a betrayal of the East End.

Today the doors will close for the last time in Bridgeton.

Then, on February 9 Easterhouse Jobcentre will close and on February 16, services will end at Parkhead Jobcentre.

Bridgeton, Easterhouse and Parkhead will all merge with Shettleston Jobcentre, the only place in the UK where four centres will become one.

Politicians have slammed the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for the "hammer-blow" of a decision.

David Linden, SNP MP, has continually battled against the cuts and has backed the Evening Times' Hands of Our Jobcentres campaign.

He said: "The closure of almost half of Glasgow's jobcentres - including Parkhead and Easterhouse in my constituency - represents a betrayal of communities and will impact tens of thousands of people in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit, with the consequences being severely felt by some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people."

The DWP decided to close jobcentres in Anniesland, Bridgeton, Easterhouse, Langside, Maryhill and Parkhead, saving only Castlemilk from the original list of seven.

A DWP spokeswoman said: "The changes we are making to our estate across the country will offer a more efficient service, and deliver good value for the taxpayer - saving over £135 million a year, for the next 10 years."

Labour's Ged Killen, MP for Rutherglen & Hamilton West, said: "The closure of the Bridgeton job centre and deliberate traps set in the benefits system shows that the Tories are more interested in punishing the poor rather than giving them the helping hand they need to get back into work.

“The closure of the Bridgeton jobcentre today adds to the already over 90 jobcentre premises that have closed since July.

“People will be forced to travel for longer and face longer queues at jobcentres when they eventually get there.

"The Tories have created a welfare system that punishes simple mistakes rather than rewarding efforts to get back to work.”

Anniesland closed on November 24 last year while Maryhill and Langside closed on January 12 and 19.

But the East End has been hit hardest with the loss of three Jobcentres.

Mr Linden added: "Nowhere in the UK is being as disproportionately impacted by jobcentre closures as Glasgow’s East End - an area that has an unemployment rate double the UK national average.

"I am afraid that, despite countless written questions, public petitions, correspondence and a face-to-face meeting at Caxton House, the Employment Minister has repeatedly failed to take account of the profound concerns expressed by myself and the whole community in Glasgow’s East End.

"Issues including sanctions, poor transport connections, digital exclusion and the deep-rooted issues of territorialism and gang violence that still exist in our city have been shamefully ignored.

"Glasgow’s political representatives, Citizens Advice Bureaux, churches and trade unions have all spoken out but the DWP refuses to listen.

"The people of Glasgow won't forget this hammer-blow in a hurry."