Councillor accused of talking "hogwash" over Privatisation

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Plymouth councillor accused of talking "hogwash" over Royal Mail privatisation plans

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A LABOUR councillor has been accused of talking "hogwash" and scaremongering over plans to privatise Royal Mail.

Cllr Bill Stevens, proposing a Plymouth City Council motion opposing the Government's privatisation plan, warned that prices would go up and Plymouth post offices would be closed.

"Perhaps most worrying of all is that the Armed Forces free post will go," Cllr Stevens (Lab, Devonport) told a meeting of the city council yesterday.
"We'll have a £1 letter before we know it."

He said the monarch's head would disappear from postage stamps.

"Charles I had his head removed by the Puritans. Charles III might have his head removed by a Conservative Government.

"All other privatisations have increased prices and cut service levels."

But Cllr Dr John Mahony (Con, Peverell) accused Cllr Stevens of scaremongering.

"This is a lot of hogwash from the controlling group [Labour] in view of the previous Government's actions," he said.

Cllr Terri Beer (Con, Plympton Erle) said: "We have lost many valued services in the city – but on whose watch did this decline start – the Labour Government.

"In 2009 there were plans to partly privatise to dig the Chancellor of the Exchequer [then Gordon Brown] out of a financial hole."

She refused to support the motion.

Cllr Jon Taylor (Lab, Budshead) said Royal Mail was making a profit. "Business is good and profits are increasing. Why privatise now."

Cllr Chris Penberthy said the most expensive part of the service was "the last mile", and that would hit the most vulnerable people.
Privatisation would mean increased marginalisation for many in Plymouth, he said.

Cllr Michael Leaves (Con, Plymstock Radford) said that before privatisation people waited for six or 12 months for a phone connection.

Cllr Ted Fry, the Conservative group leader, said: "Royal Mail has to be exposed to competition and openness. "The days of nationalisation are over. They have proved unsuccessful. We are now into partnership working."

The motion was carried on party lines, with all Tory councillors opposing.

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