SNP Conference delivers message to Royal Mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Delegates at the SNP campaign conference have delivered a unanimous demand for the UK Government to abandon Royal Mail privatisation plans, as the party said it would champion the issue in the run up to the Holyrood elections.

SNP Postal Affairs spokesperson Mike Weir MP said:

“Our postal services are far too important to Scotland and, crucially, to small businesses to be allowed to be broken up and sold off.

“The privatisation of Royal Mail has always presented huge dangers to the continuation of the universal service obligation which is so important to our rural communities.

“The UK government should abandon their daft proposals and work towards maintaining a strong Royal Mail in the public sector. If they do not, they risk destroying the universal service whilst only the private mail carriers benefit by getting hold of the profitable parts in a forced sale. That is in nobody’s interest.”

Highlands and Islands MSP Dave Thomson said:

"The Scottish Government has shown the way forward with its commitment to helping small businesses and post offices throughout Scotland. The existing fund has helped many businesses diversify and ensure their survival this welcome new investment will ensure many more of our valued local post offices will have a real future.

"In addition the continuation of the business bonus rates reduction will give a continuing boost to small businesses, including post offices, throughout Scotland.

"Contrast this with the UK government who are pursuing an ill-conceived privatisation of Royal Mail and splitting off the Post Office network without any guarantee of long term future business. This is causing a huge amount of concern and may lead to the closure of many post offices."

Notes:

The text of the resolution passed by SNP conference is detailed below:

Privatisation of Royal Mail

Conference congratulates the Scottish Government efforts to strengthen the Post Office network in Scotland including the Business Bonus and the Post Office Diversification Fund; notes that such efforts may be undermined by the actions of London government; condemns their plans to privatise Royal Mail which will inevitably lead to a reduction in services and closure of more post offices; calls upon the UK Tory/\lib\dem government to abandon the plan.

[Lounge Lizard]

If the SNP had gained independence for Scotland then they could have kept it under state ownership north of the border.