SCOTTISH SOCIALIST PARTY

Media Release: 18th May 2009

Scottish Socialist leader Colin Fox today warned the Government that pressing ahead with the privatisation of Royal Mail would be a political “Kamikaze mission.”

Fox, who is top of the SSP list for the European elections, was speaking ahead of  Wednesday’s House of Lords third reading of Industry Secretary, Peter Mandelson’s Bill to part privatise the Royal Mail.

“Despite pretending that the EU is forcing postal privatisation on him the truth is that Gordon Brown himself and his cabinet are driving the demands for Royal Mail to be handed over to profit hungry private postal companies like TNT.”

“Post Office privatisation is overwhelmingly unpopular with postal workers and the public alike, yet it is being pushed ahead by Industry Minister Peter Mandelson.”

“You would think by now that even he would grasp how out of touch he is on this issue. With 150 Labour MP’s threatening to rebel the Bill can only now be passed in the Commons with the help of TORY MP’s.”

“The SSP demands Royal Mail is kept in public hands. Like the public we wish to see it remain a public service owned and controlled by the public, where the profits it makes – £323m last year – go into the public purse to build hospitals and schools and not handed over to private shareholders in private postal companies like TNT.”

“The expenses scandal has already undermined the Brown government and railroading this unpopular privatisation through thanks to Tory votes could well prove a fatal blow for this embattled government.”

“I urge the public to contact their MPs and demand they vote to keep the profiteers paws off our Post Office.”