Royal Mail Sell-Off "Fracture"

[Geezer]

Royal Mail Sell-Off "Fracture"
Jon Craig

Jon CraigJanuary 13, 2009 4:43 PM

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Labour MPs are revolting. The talk of the Tea Room is an Early Day Motion being circulated by that feisty, doughty campaigner Geraldine Smith, Labour MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, rejecting a part sell-off of the Royal Mail.

The EDM will land on the Commons order paper on the morning of the first Prime Minister's Questions of 2009 and Geraldine tells me she has 63 names already and hopes to get 100 eventually.

The motion begins by pointing out that Labour's conference last year "with the backing of ministers supported a vision of a wholly publicly owned integrated Royal Mail group".

And it goes on to reject Lord Mandelson's proposal to sell a minority stake in Royal Mail, "which would result in the fracturing of one of Britain's greatest public services".

As yet, there are no big names like Peter Hain or John Prescott among the backers, I'm told, even though they have voiced their opposition to the part sell-off in recent weeks.

But Geraldine's 63 Labour MPs do include the mild-mannered loyalist ex-minister Malcolm Wicks alongside "usual suspects" like Peter Kilfoyle.

All this as the Government is already battling with many Labour MPs over a third runway for Heathrow. Opponents on the Labour back benches believe their opposition may have forced a postponement of an announcement by Geoff Hoon, tipped for this week.

I understand that after what some Labour MPs claimed was a row about Heathrow in Cabinet, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has been meeting dissenters Hilary Benn (Environment Secretary) and Ed Miliband (Energy and Climate Change Secretary).

No word yet, though, of when that meeting with Labour backbenchers - promised by Gordon Brown at this week's PLP meeting on Monday - will take place.

A few weeks ago, Government Chief Whip Nick Brown's Christmas card to Labour MPs showed a picture of David Cameron and his Bullingdon Club chums with a caption: "Unity is Strength".

"That was a message to our MPs," Nick told me this week with a cheeky grin.

Unity? Not on either Royal Mail or Heathrow, there isn't.

The New Year has begun with the Prime Minister and his Chief Whip - a man so loyal to Gordon Brown that he shares the same surname - facing a double showdown with revolting Labour MPs.

[Sandyman]

Is Geraldine Smith an ex-Postal Officer? Good on her!

[Big Daz]

Yes and CWU supported MP

Malcom wicks is also CWU supported

Bob Laxton CWU supported MP and former BT engineer/CWU rep ? will be asked to sign.