Union calls for Royal Mail U-turn

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Pressure on the Government to reverse its controversial plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail intensified when a new opinion poll showed huge public opposition to the idea.

A survey of 1,000 adults for the Communication Workers Union revealed that three out of four disagreed with privatisation, rising to nine out of 10 if foreign ownership was involved.

The union urged the Government to scrap its "disastrous" plan, but ministers continued to insist the move would maintain a publicly-owned Royal Mail.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is pressing ahead with a partial sale of the business, with Dutch-owned TNT already expressing an interest in buying a stake.

Gordon Brown is facing his biggest rebellion by Labour MPs since becoming prime minister, and the union has issued a warning that the row is straining its relations with the Labour party, which it funds to the tune of £1 million a year.

Only 6% of those surveyed for the CWU were in favour of privatisation and this halved to 3% when a foreign company was mentioned.

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, said: "The UK public is overwhelmingly opposed to government plans to privatise part of Royal Mail. This is a deeply unpopular move which would damage a trusted public service. We urge the government to take responsible action and respond to the justified concerns of UK citizens who do not want to see this valuable public asset carved up and sold off."

Deputy general secretary Dave Ward added: "Royal Mail is a profitable public company with a dedicated workforce and unmatched public trust. Why would you gamble this away on an unpopular and unproven part sell-off?

"A huge majority of the public is against this idea. It's time MPs listened to their constituents and scrapped this disastrous plan."

Minister for Postal Affairs, Pat McFadden, said: "Privatisation is not the Government's policy. Our proposals will maintain a publicly-owned Royal Mail and safeguard the vital services it provides. We are proposing a joint venture with a postal operator that has a proven track record in transforming a postal business."