Labour challenged over Royal Mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Opposition MPs sense possible U-turns over selloff after no announcement on bill’s progress

By David Perry

Published: 26/06/2009

The UK Government was challenged last night over further indications that its plans to sell off half of Royal Mail are in deep trouble.

Commons business manager and deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman’s claim that the Postal Services Bill is simply a victim of the MPs’ expenses scandal was greeted with deep scepticism.

She failed to announce any further progress on the bill – which has been passed by the Lords where it was introduced by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson – when she announced the government’s programme for the next two weeks.

The fate of the Post Office and the collection and delivery of letters and parcels is one of two controversial programmes on which opposition MPs scent blood and possible future U-turns.

The other is the controversial identity cards programme, with four key statutory instruments also delayed amid claims new Home Secretary Alan Johnston is considering ditching the scheme – which Ms Harman strongly denied.

Tory business manager Alan Duncan said the Royal Mail legislation was officially introduced in the Commons four weeks ago and there are only 16 days to go before the summer recess, so he asked “if it has been permanently lost in the post?”

Ms Harman said she had to find time for a three-day debate on new legislation cracking down on MPs’ allowances but did not say why the Post Office instead of something else had been sacrificed.

Angus SNP MP Mike Weir claimed the delay was the result of ministers trying to do a deal with left-wing Labour MPs opposed to a selloff to get the measure through without suffering the severe embarrassment of having to rely on Tory votes.

He said Lord Mandelson had “staked a lot on a plan virtually no one else is in favour of”. He warned that if Lord Mandelson got his way the universal service obligation – requiring the delivery of letters everywhere for the cost of a stamp – will be at risk, posing a severe threat to remoter areas of the north and north-east.

Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Danny Alexander blamed the delay on “internal problems within the Labour Party” risking badly-needed investment in postal services.

He warned: “It is causing uncertainty as to their future among Royal Mail staff and in the Post Office affecting thousands across the country and hundreds in the Highlands. The sooner the government settles it and tells us what it is going to do, the better.”

[norbert]

Mandy stalled it to save Brown's hide - I doubt if Brown would have fancied a general election , I wouldn't trust Mandy though but I think we all know better not to

[BELIAL]

Mandy stalled it to save Brown's hide - I doubt if Brown would have fancied a general election , I wouldn't trust Mandy though but I think we all know better not to

Mandy ain't interested in Browns hide,he already owns him,he's got the dirt If Mandy chooses to stall anything,there's only one person it would benefit :mfo

[norbert]

Mandy stalled it to save Brown's hide - I doubt if Brown would have fancied a general election , I wouldn't trust Mandy though but I think we all know better not to

Mandy ain't interested in Browns hide,he already owns him,he's got the dirt If Mandy chooses to stall anything,there's only one person it would benefit :mfo

this is what a few people suspect , quite a few active party members - apparently he had his eye on the foreign office , the job his grandfather ; Herbert Morrison had . As people have said , don't underestimate him .

Ironically he ( though he's got enemies by the score going back to pre 92 with Kinnocko & a lot from the fall out after John Smith's death ) is more Labour or New Labour than B-Liar ever was .