Comments on: Climb down time on Royal Mail

By: Brian Tomkinson

Brian Tomkinson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:02:45 +0000

I now read that Cameron has offered an Opposition day to hold a second reading of the Royal Mail Bill! Sounds as though he still thinks it is a good measure after all. What do you make of that?

Reply: I don’t think Mr C expected the PM to accept! He was making the point that this Bill is dropped for political reasons, not because we are short of time.

By: Adrian Peirson

Adrian Peirson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:21:32 +0000

It’s British, it’s in the British Psyche, it has to go, we are EUropeans Now, anything British must be Sold off, destroyed, everything must go.

By: alan jutson

alan jutson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:45:01 +0000

Interesting to hear Lord Mandy this morning on Radio Five saying the problem with selling off the Royal Mail was the Pension deficite.

If this is regarded as a real problem with Royal mail, then why is he not worried about the Public Services Pension deficite, its an even bigger problem.

At least getting him to recognise the problem would be a start.

Oh i forgot, he cannot be questioned in the House of Commons can he.

Same situation when Mrs Kinnock decides to take up her position as European minister, she cannot be questioned either.

Democracy ???

What a bloody farce.

By: jean baker

jean baker — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:16:06 +0000

Well said, spot on.

By: James C

James C — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:37:34 +0000

This sell-off is the result of an EU directive, ie law.
And it is supported, disgracefully, by the Tories.

By: pipesmoker

pipesmoker — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:58:35 +0000

Absolutely. It’s the elephant in the room again that no one dare mention. JR you should know better!

By: jeff todd

jeff todd — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:16:09 +0000

Why not point out that the sell-off is mandated by the EU?

In the ideal world Brown would have already won his election some 18 months ago and the Post Office sell-off would have been a done deal and forgotten by the (then) next GE.

It will have to be sold off, but now it looks likely that the Tories will have to be the ones to do it – and get the blame.

Get Dave to start spouting off exactly WHY this is happening – and who is to blame. Too late after a GE. A nice PMQ – which muppet signed up to the sell-off?

By: jean baker

jean baker — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:07:33 +0000

Labour’s acting, as always, in ‘self interest’ – damage limitation in the run up to the next election – shelving potentially vote losing plans.

Six figure salaries continue to be advertized for public sector ‘executives’.

By: Ross Warren

Ross Warren — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:47:29 +0000

I agree with Colin, John is being far to nice to Labour. This is a cynical climdown to keep the Unions on side in the run up to the next general election.

By: Denis Cooper

Denis Cooper — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:41:21 +0000

But Royal Mail has been starved of capital because during the decades when it was profitable its sole shareholder, the government, insisted on taking most of the profits as dividends, leaving too little for re-investment. Basically therefore the postal service was being used to raise what we would now call “a stealth tax”.