The fight to stop the Government decision to close tax offices across the district reached Westminster last night.

A delegation descended on London and presented a mocked up P45 to human resource officials at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Leading the group, Trudy Bates, branch president of the Bradford and district Revenue Branch, said the fight was not over.

She said: "We were told the decision could be overturned, that it would not be easy, but it is not impossible."

The decision to close tax offices in Skipton, Keighley and Shipley was made official in October when HMRC published the outcome of a regional review of its office buildings.

It concluded that seven buildings will house the majority of the department's future operations in the area. Offices that have survived the axe include Centenary Court in St Blaise Way, Bradford, the Interchange in Nelson Street, Bradford, and the Accounts Office in Victoria Street, Shipley.

But 13 offices are set to be vacated as part of the review, including Cavendish House, Skipton, Crown House and Hockney House, both in Shipley, Century House, in Pudsey, and Worth House, in Keighley.

The mocked-up P45 listed the reasons why the closures were the wrong idea and the impact it will have on economies.

Miss Bates added: "It means taking jobs from deprived towns. We handed about 1,000 mocked-up CVs to the HR department and we just hope someone will start to take notice of the state the department is in and listen to what people on the ground are trying to tell them.

"Now it is about taking it forward as we cannot be under any illusion the closures will lead to job losses."

The closures will be phased from this autumn. The inquiry centres in Skipton and Keighley will remain at or near their current locations.

Shipley MP Philip Davies, who met the delegation, said savings could be made without cutting jobs.

He said: "If the management of HMRC engaged with people who work in the offices, I am sure savings could be identified. I would suggest stop using external consultants that cost a lot of money which would be more constructive than job losses.

"Reducing the offices mean the general public will get a worse service."