Labour accused over Royal Mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.irvineherald.co.uk/ayrshire- ... -33963556/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Labour and Ed Miliband could have stopped the Royal Mail privatisation "dead in its tracks" if they had vowed to renationalise the service, an SNP MSP claimed.

James Dornan said if Labour had pledged to do this if it won the 2015 general election, no-one would have bought Royal Mail shares

The Glasgow Cathcart MSP hit out at the loss of the "valuable public service" after some 6 90,000 small investors bought stock in the highest-profile privatisation for years.

He told the SNP annual conference in Perth the sell-off had resulted in " a billion pound bonus in 24 hours given in the main to those already seriously well off".

He added: " One of their saddest most disappointing aspects of this privatisation is that if Labour had the courage of this Scottish Government, if Ed Miliband had half the sense of social responsibility and decency that our First Minister has, he could have stooped it dead in its tracks.

"Who would have bought shares in the Royal Mail if Red Ed had come out and said Labour would renationalise it? No-one."

He spoke out as activists at the conference debated the Common Weal project, which sets out an alternative vision for Scotland more in tune with Scandinavian economic and social policies.

The conference unanimously passed a motion calling on the party to examine these proposals with the possibility of adopting them after independence.

Mr Dornan and fellow MSP Sandra White both claimed Westminster rule had brought about greater inequalities in Scotland.

Mr Dornan said that after "many years" as a Labour supporter he " finally accepted the social justice I was seeking, that society of fairness and equal opportunity, could never come about while we are part of the union".

He claimed " Westminster rule" had "given us the bedroom tax and foodbanks and the greatest disparity in the UK between rich and poor".

Mr Dornan insisted: "Both Westminster parties are the same and if you find yourself struggling to make ends meet through no fault of your own those Westminster parties call you scroungers, skivers or proponents of a something for nothing society.

"There are other ways, ways that could be fairer and more effective."

He added: " The choice is stark - we can continue the rat race or look for another way."

Glasgow Kelvin MSP Sandra White also hit out at successive Westminster governments.

"When you look at the policies we have had for decades from UK governments, these policies are all about the economy of greed, where a country as rich as Scotland has foodbanks, where we have the bedroom tax, where people are on welfare and low wages," she said.

"That's not the kind of independent Scotland I want to see."

She insisted Scotland was "o n the verge of something absolutely fantastic" adding: "Yes, we're on the verge of independence, but we're also on the verge of being able to offer our people something different, something so good that people will have aspiration and ambition."

[UnhappyGremlin]

Labour and Ed Miliband could have stopped the Royal Mail privatisation "dead in its tracks" if they had vowed to renationalise the service, an SNP MSP claimed.

James Dornan said if Labour had pledged to do this if it won the 2015 general election, no-one would have bought Royal Mail shares.

Many of us made this point.
Whether or not it would have proved true is another matter.

[123456]

labour could have been and should have been against privatisation from the beginning.The simple fact is they was not..which in simple terms means they are just as bad as the con-dems in regard to this topic..the labour party is not what it used to be.I for one have let the party go in voting terms..labour-con/dem are so similar its time to look at other smaller parties in which to pressurise the political debate..

[ronpetetrevchris]

labour could have been and should have been against privatisation from the beginning.The simple fact is they was not..which in simple terms means they are just as bad as the con-dems in regard to this topic..the labour party is not what it used to be.I for one have let the party go in voting terms..labour-con/dem are so similar its time to look at other smaller parties in which to pressurise the political debate..

[NIG]

After the last labour gov't , Mandelson was hell bent on privatising RM , also brought in quango's to make it easier for the competition to take over .