ROYAL MAIL ROUNDABOUT PUTS BROWN ON KAMIKAZE COLLISION COURSE.

ROYAL MAIL ROUNDABOUT PUTS BROWN ON KAMIKAZE COLLISION COURSE.

PM RELIANT ON TORY VOTES FOR PRIVATISATION PLAN

Gordon Brown remains on a “kamikaze collision course” with his own party and unions after UK Ministers rejected a possible compromise on controversial plans for part-privatisation of Royal Mail.

Commenting on the dismissal of a not-for-profit option, after days of speculation that Ministers were set to make a u-turn on the privatisation of the Royal Mail, SNP Postal Affairs spokesperson Mike Weir MP warned the prime minister faced another damaging backbench revolt.

Mr Weir commented:

“It seems Gordon Brown has learnt nothing from his humiliation last week, and he is now on a kamikaze collision course with his own party on the future of Royal Mail.

“The not-for-profit option offered the prime minister a get out of jail free card and it is inexplicable that he has turned his back on it.

“It is plain as day that privatisation would spell the beginning of the end for Royal Mail, and open the door to job losses, service cuts and a deterioration in the working conditions of postal workers.

“The scope of Labour’s privatisation legislation goes far beyond allowing a 30% private stake, and in reality would allow almost 50% of Royal Mail to be sold-off without further legislation.

“It says everything that Gordon Brown is reliant on Conservative votes to get this through. The Tories will be rubbing their hands in glee.

“The privatisation of the Royal Mail could not happen at a worse time. When people all over Scotland are facing redundancy and fearing for their jobs, the last thing they want is the Postal Service to be put it the hands of private partner whose only concern would be to make a profit.
“Royal Mail must remain in public hands and the SNP will continue to fight for the retention of the publicly-owned Royal Mail. It is not just Labour backbenchers who can vote against Brown on this, but voters in the upcoming European elections too.”