YASMIN Qureshi is calling on Royal Bank of Scotland to halt its plans to close scores of branches , including five in Bolton.

The Bolton South East MP has urged the bank to instead hold talks with the Unite union, which represents bank workers across the country.

She sent a message to bosses of the crisis-hit bank — which is still 72pc owned by the taxpayer — in a bid to help save some of the 792 jobs and 162 branches scheduled for closure.

She said: “I call on the RBS to halt their planned closures and enter into meaningful consultation again with Unite. Too many high streets have become blighted by short-sighted bank branch closures. Small businesses can’t get the loans they need and vulnerable and elderly constituents lose out when banks put their profits ahead of customer need.

“The next Labour government will tighten up the law to make sure banks in Bolton and Farnworth will continue to provide an essential local public service. Only Labour has the policies we need to put workers and small businesses in Bolton South East first.”

Branches in Astley Bridge, Chorley Old Road, Horwich, Farnworth and Walkden are among those that will shut.

The Farnworth branch will shut its doors for the final time on August 6, before the Horwich branch closures on August 13, while Chorley Old Road branch close on November 1, Astley Bridge on November 13, and Walkden on November 27.

The RBS branches in Bolton town centre and Harwood are not included in the list of closures.