Government Royal Mail Sell-Off Plans In Parliament This Week

According to reports on the BBC News On-Line website today (Mon 23rd Feb) controversial government proposals to sell off part of the Royal Mail are to be introduced in Parliament this Thursday.

Despite the plans facing opposition from a large number of Labour MPs, with 139 signing EDM42 opposing a sell-off, Ministers want to sell 30% of Royal Mail to the private sector on the basis that this will help pay for the modernisation of the service.

The news report states that following the endorsement of the recommendations in December, by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, the Tories and the Lib Dems have backed the idea in principle.

Despite anger at the plans and the opposition of the Trade Unions including CWU and the TUC, Mandelson denies the plan amounts to a sell-off of Royal Mail claiming it will be a "partnership" which maintains Labour's commitment at the last election to keep Royal Mail in public ownership.

A mass protest against the plans is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

"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," said Billy Hayes, general secretary of the CWU union.

The protest will come on the same day as Royal Mail managers are grilled by MPs on their plans for the company.

The BBC news item points out that, “The sell-off plans could potentially result in the largest backbench rebellion of Gordon Brown's premiership. Unless Labour rebels are persuaded to back the measure, the government may have to rely on opposition MPs' support to get the measures through.”

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