MPs Hugh Bayley and John Grogan back mail workers fight

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POSTAL workers on a nationwide protest arrived in York to deliver a message to the Government on its plans to part-privatise Royal Mail.

York MP Hugh Bayley and John Grogan, his counterpart for Selby, joined members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in front of York Minster, to add their names to a petition calling for the privatisation plans to be scrapped.

Parliament will next month consider the recommendations of the Hooper Report, which include selling off 30 per cent of the Post Office to the private sector.

CWU member Paul Clays said before they arrived in York yesterday afternoon, the protesters had gathered 3,000 signatures in Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

He said the protest was about British people “getting their voices heard”.

“If you look now, there are people fighting to sign our petition and that’s how appreciative the public is to the Post Office,” said Mr Clays.

“The Government has nationalised the banks, but wants to privatise the Royal Mail – it doesn’t make sense.”

Mr Bayley, a strong opponent of any Royal Mail sell-off, said: “I have been to see Peter Mandelson about proposals to sell a share of Royal Mail and I want the Government to come back with a different proposal which ensures Royal Mail remains a public service.”

He added: “There’s a lot of public sympathy for the Post Office, but it needs more than sympathy.

“Everybody relies on a universal postal service. If you live in the country you can get a letter delivered or a book from Amazon – I want that service to continue.

“But it won’t survive if the Post Office’s competitors can pick off the profitable parts.”

As well as asking people to sign their petition, the union members encouraged people to add their names to a giant postcard which was addressed to the Prime Minister. Union members also brought an oversized red pillarbox which they have been taking with them as they make their way from John O’Groats to Land’s End.