Southend Customs and Excise staff remain nervous after news that 20,000 civil service jobs are to be cut in London and the South East.
MP Sir Teddy Taylor has vowed to fight to keep jobs in the town.
Chancellor Gordon Brown told of the move in his three-year spending plans. He wants to slim down the civil service to free money for extra spending on health, education, defence and housing.
A Customs spokesman said: "It is too early to say what the impact may be at individual locations.
"We will be working over the next few months to draw up detailed plans to implement the spending review and the setting up of the new department resulting from the merger of Customs and Excise with the Inland Revenue."
Sir Teddy, Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East, said: "I will try my very best to protect these jobs. I hope they will not be swept away to other parts of the country."
Published Tuesday July 13, 2004
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