North West Euro MP Forecasts Of Royal Mail 'Destruction'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cwunorthwest.org/docs/News20 ... ction.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

North West Euro MP Paul Nuttall, and deputy leader of the UK Independence Party, which opposes the RM sale, believes Royal Mail will struggle to compete once it is removed from state control.

He spoke out as the usually moderate National Federation of SubPostmasters also criticised the Post Office for asking its members to promote the sale to its high street customers.

The Coalition Government confirmed last week that it is pressing on with plans to float the nation’s historic mail delivery service within a very short timescale.

Exepressing deep concern at Government plans to privatise Royal Mail, he said:

“We have already warned this privatisation will lead to huge job losses and a looming pensions disaster. I believe it will really struggle to compete in the market place and the employees' shares will be worthless.

Also, under EU state aid rules, the UK government is strictly forbidden from helping the Royal Mail with taxpayers’ money and helping plug the £9 billion pension pot deficit.

This privatisation means we will be left with a completely destroyed Royal Mail, once a proud British institution that did so much more than just deliver letters. We can thank the EU for that.”

He concluded:

“Also, I fear that Royal Mail could well end up in foreign ownership. Is that really what Britain wants? What a sad outcome for this historic business.”

The National Federation of SubPostmasters (NFSP) said the Post Office was set to contact several thousand post offices in the coming days requesting they stock materials for the public on how to buy Royal Mail shares.

It urged its members to reject the call, saying a privatised Royal Mail could be “catastrophic” for the post office network.

NFSP general secretary George Thomson said:

“I am surprised and angered by [the Post Office’s] request for subpostmasters to act against their own interests by encouraging the public to back the sale by buying shares.

Subpostmasters are acutely aware that ministers are taking a reckless gamble with the future of our post offices by selling off Royal Mail.”