100 MPs revolt over mail sale

[Geezer]

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/inde ... _mail_sale" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

by ROGER BAGLEY in Parliament


ONE hundred Labour MPs showed their anger on Tuesday at plans by arch-privatiser Lord Mandelson to smash up the Royal Mail.

The Business Secretary faced the condemnation of a huge body of Labour backbenchers who signed a Commons motion calling for the Royal Mail to be modernised and developed under full public ownership.

Dogmatic duo Lord Mandelson and Prime Minister Gordon Brown are attempting to plunge ahead with plans for part-privatisation - in blatant defiance of last year's Labour Party conference decision.

Many Labour MPs are dismayed that Lord Mandelson and Mr Brown have dared to go further than infamous privatisation fanatics, former prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.

Labour members are flocking to sign a Commons early day motion demanding a wholly publicly owned Royal Mail. Lead signatory is Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Geraldine Smith.

The motion rejects the recommendation in the recent Hooper report for the sale of a minority stake in Royal Mail.

However, it welcomes another Hooper conclusion that the current universal service obligation, including six days a week delivery, must be protected.

By Tuesday, the motion had been signed by 99 Labour MPs, three SNP members, one Plaid Cymru, one SDLP and three independent left-wing members - a total of 107.

Postal union CWU general secretary Billy Hayes hailed the growing army of Labour MPs who are standing up to Mr Mandelson's plans.

Mr Hayes said: "At a time when, increasingly, the private sector has been clearly shown to have failed the British public, it is ludicrous to consider selling off one of our nation's most prized assets and best-loved institutions."

Elmet Labour MP Colin Burgon pledged to step up the pressure on government ministers.

Mr Burgon emphasised that the opponents of privatisation also want to see modernisation of the service and a change in ethos.

He added: "However, the change in ethos which we want to see is the introduction of a management team who are committed to making the Royal Mail work within the public sector."

Mr Burgon condemned the "unholy alliance" of pro-privatisation elements in the government, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats.

Luton North Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins warned: "Part-privatisation has been a major component in the collapse of neoliberalism, which is happening now."

Mr Hopkins stressed: "If we want full employment and stable economies in the future, we have got to recreate a substantial public sector, with public services in public ownership and democratically accountable to working people."

SNP MP Mike Weir (Angus) condemned Mr Mandelson's plans as "madness."

Mr Weir warned: "Privatisation of Royal Mail, even in part, would be disastrous and raises massive concerns for the future of the universal service obligation, which is essential for rural areas."

Selby Labour MP John Grogan insisted: "A promise should be a promise in politics. The last Labour Party conference in September, with the support of the then business minister John Hutton, passed a policy supporting a wholly publicly owned Royal Mail."

[BB brother]

200 would be nice.
How many did the last one get?