Victory!?

[Flatlander]

Royal Mail sell-off plan is shelved
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpres ... mCfESonXEQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8129101.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


(there is a video link on this page as well) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8129208.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is "no prospect" of the partial sell-off of the Royal Mail going ahead in the "current circumstances", Lord Mandelson has told peers.

The business secretary announced in the House of Lords that the state of the economy had made it "impossible" to complete a deal on favourable terms.

"When market conditions change we will return to the issue," he told peers.

The partial sell-off, opposed by many Labour MPs, had been due to go before Parliament before the summer break.

'Impossible to conclude'

Lord Mandelson said that the government remained convinced that selling off part of the Royal Mail was the best way forward.

But under current market conditions it would be "impossible to conclude" the process in a manner which would "secure value for the taxpayer", he added.

I have always been clear that we would only do a deal with the private sector if it represented value for money for the taxpayer
Lord Mandelson

"We have thoroughly tested the market to see who is interested in partnership, but economic circumstances, I need hardly point out, are extremely difficult," Lord Mandelson told fellow peers.

He continued: "I have always been clear that we would only do a deal with the private sector if it represented value for money for the taxpayer."

Ministers say private sector money needs to be brought in to help rescue the Royal Mail as it faces a pension deficit estimated at up to £8bn.

For the Conservatives, Lord Hunt of the Wirral said that by putting the Postal Services Bill into "cold storage" to suit "short-term political ends", the government was leaving the Royal Mail pension plan in an "impossible position".

Lord Mandelson replied: "This remains a matter for the company and the pension trustees."

Former postman and Labour peer Lord Clarke of Hampstead said Royal Mail workers and management were "living without certainty" because of the pension deficit.

Lord Cotter of the Lib Dems said the government was "collapsing from the position" it put forward in support of the bill.

But a spokesman for the prime minister said the government would "return to the issue when market conditions change".

Pension deficit

Billy Hayes, general secretary of the CWU union, which was strongly opposed to the proposal, said the government had "not only looked at market forces but has listened to the British public".

BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said the government was understood to have had difficult finding a business that would buy part of the Royal Mail.

The business secretary said on Monday that the bill was being "jostled for space" among other legislation ministers wanted to conclude before Parliament breaks for the summer.

Lord Mandelson said on Monday that the partial sell-off would not happen until "later", but the Lords statement is the first time he has confirmed that the part sale will definitely not go ahead in the near future.

There has been growing speculation that the partial sell-off, which is controversial within the Labour Party, will not go ahead before the next election.

More than 140 Labour backbenchers had signed a Commons motion critical of the plan and there had been rumours for weeks that the scheme could be shelved.

[Stormproof]

[uprising95]

[fatherchristmas]

:mfo

[pop it in pete]

Dont lets get too excited. The markets arnt right? What they need to do is tie up this issue once and forever with legislation that keeps us in public hands and doesnt leave the door open for the eton mob to sell us off once they get in. The question of the regulator needs to be looked at also. Remember we are dealing with Mandleson he is one slippery bastard. Just watch out thats all i am saying.........

[borders]

from the CWU>>>>>>>You did it. Within the past couple of hours Lord Mandelson has told the House of Lords that there is "no prospect" of selling Royal Mail.

Britain has kept the post public.

By joining our campaign over the past few months, you have shown that this plan never had public support. Only a couple of months ago it was looking almost inevitable, but you made the Government listen.

Thank you for all you've done.

There are many people that deserve some of the credit for the campaign. Many, many MPs backed our campaign. Backbench Labour MPs were especially important - they held firm despite the pressure.

We have set up this page where you can leave your message of thanks - which we will collate and send to each of the MPs that have supported us:

http://post.cwu.org/thankyou" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Today is a good day because we are now able to take stock. Now that the uncertainty of privatisation has been lifted there is a great opportunity to step up a gear in modernising Royal Mail in the public sector.

We will be at the forefront of the fight for a publicly owned modern Royal Mail. I hope you will be too.

Thanks again,

[dohnut]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8129101.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

seems we are safe for the time being.

[baldrick]

:mfo
So what has Mr 'You can't win' got to say?

[uprising95]

haha

[Big Daz]

Lets not get to excited , we have to prove the case beyond all doubt that RM can be a public sector success before the conditions for a sell off come back into play.

It is still offical government policy to sell when the time is right. :mfo

[Ahebban]

Where does that leave the issue of the Pension Deficit?
The government should honour its moral, if not legal, obligation to take on the Pension Fund deficit as originally proposed

What prospect for the USO if neither private or government funding is not forthcoming?
Government should compel all of the current licencees handling mail to either contribute toward the USO or start up their own nation-wide delivery service

Will RM use the collapse of the Postal Bill as an excuse to further its intention of cutting more jobs and further diluting our terms and conditions?
Very likely!

The classic dilemma of jumping from the boiling pot into the frying pan!

Thanks for nothing Mandy ... :mfo

[BELIAL]

Trouble with Mandys statement is that privatisation has never, not once secured value for the taxpayer. Perhaps I'm unusually unlucky,but I am a taxpayer , and all my bills with privatised companies have gone through the roof . Maybe thats the modernised definition of "value" ,you pay 5x the amount for the same service with added foreign call center

[baldrick]

Maybe thats the modernised definition of "value" ,you pay 5x the amount for the same service

Correct - except usually it's a worse service.

[donut]

seems we are safe for the time being.

Absolutely ....lets not start sucking each others cocks ....just yet !
If labour get a 5th term we`re f****d ..and if the tory`s get in we`re definatly f****d !