Right of Reply: Postal services and Scottish independence

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://postandparcel.info/54405/news/re ... ependence/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Shadow minister for postal affairs Ian Murray MP responds to last week’s Post&Parcel article regarding postal union support for Scottish independence.

Dear Editor,

I noted with interest your article (SNP lauds postal union backing for Scottish independence) in Friday’s bulletin. The referendum will be a once in a generation occurrence which, if the yes vote is successful, will change the lives of the Scottish people fundamentally. It is of the utmost importance that the debate around the referendum is open and transparent and seen to be that.

However, the article – featuring only comment from a nationalist politician – was anything but that. It stated that “The Communication Workers Union Scotland No2 branch voted at its Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh on Sunday to support the ‘yes’ vote when Scotland has its national referendum on independence in 2014”. Whilst this is not in dispute, the important point that only 63 out of the 75 members who attend the Branch’s AGM supported the motion. That’s 63 individuals out of a total of around 3,200 members. That is the rightful way democracy operates but it can hardly be spun as a ringing endorsement of the Branch’s support for the ‘yes’ camp.

I have been doggedly pursing the Scottish Government to come forward and explain their plans for postal services in a separate Scotland which the people of Scotland deserve to know. So far we have ascertained that with only 18 months to go until the Referendum and the SNP’s underestimated declaration of an official independence day in 2016, they haven’t even approached the Royal Mail to discuss the SNP’s plans for the future of postal services. This is frankly staggering, yet unsurprising. The UK Government have also stated that there would be no Royal Mail should Scotland become independent.

The SNP state that they have a commitment to “a universal service obligation” in a separate Scotland, however this could mean many things. For example, Ireland meets the required universal service under the EU directive but it only delivers 5 days a week, not 6 as the UK does. Should this be the case, Scottish consumers would receive a poorer and less regular service.

I believe that it is in the Scottish people’s interest to remain as part of the UK’s postal network. Why would you want to break up a partnership, a sharing of resources, that means wherever you are in the United Kingdom you can send mail at the same price?

The SNP state in your article that “postal services continue in a similar way to the current UK-wide system” (my emphasis). Well, if the SNP know this to be the case then they should be able to give us the cost of a stamp, how much it will be to post both internally in Scotland and to the rest of the UK, if any subsidy is required, the number of staff and the position of the modernisation programme and the pay and pensions of the current Royal Mail staff. Critically, the wonderful staff of the Royal Mail deserve clarity on their own jobs, futures and pensions. The CWU branch who voted to support the Yes campaign should also be demanding this clarity.

The coverage of the referendum debate in Scotland by Post&Parcel is very welcome, is to be highly commended and I hope will continue. However, on this occasion I believe it is crucial to provide a full response from those who want Scotland to benefit from the sharing of resources and liabilities across the Royal Mail and Post Office networks in the UK.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Murray MP

Shadow Minister for Postal Affairs

[fishtank]

Whilst this is not in dispute, the important point that only 63 out of the 75 members who attend the Branch’s AGM supported the motion. That’s 63 individuals out of a total of around 3,200 members.

This was always going to get thrown back in our face.
It's because of a short sighted outdated belief in the old fashioned idea of absolute branch democracy which fails to take into account member apathy,geography and related travelling costs and of course family commitments.All you end up doing is feeding ammunition to the anti-trade union lobby and it's way past time for a change,it's 2013 not 1973.

All this required was a bit of unit level consultation,a show of hands and a report back to branch with the results.
Then they could have stood up at the AGM and said following consultation with our 3,200 members in every unit in our branch the overwhelming majority have agreed to support this position...or not,whatever the case may be.
Not difficult and it would have left Ian Murray MP with little argument over the democracy of the position.

[capitalbiker]

Leaving aside the question of how representative or not the vote may have been can we look at a wider question.

If, that is IF,the referendum goes the way of the SNP would there need to be any difference in the provision of mail services? on the one hand we could view the activities of RM in the light of any multi nation/ international company providing goods and services across and within national boundaries. There would be nothing to stop setting RM setting up a Scottish operation separtae to the remaining RM in the rest of the UK, and just say for argument sake RM has been fully privatised, what then? Do the Scotish governemnt permit RM to operate or set up an entirely new postal operator, and perhaps fall foul of European competition rules?

and what of the Post office, what plans will the Scottish government have there, perhaps no plans at all, given current moves within POL viz a vis PO locals what if they were to extend that offer and simplify the processes? it's already fact that across the UK there is only a need for some 4000 post offices to enable RM to operate effectively, how many of those would be located in Scotland? given the range of goods and services available at a post office counter and that fact thatthere is only one which is unique to the post office - postal orders- is there not an arguement that as such POs have had their day ? close them all, let customers pay their bills where ever they fancy , buy their stamps anywhere, let any Tom Dick harry accept mail on behalf of RM and any other carrier in play .

these questions and others such as the defence issues rasied recently need clear and concise answers, but will the SNP offer any info?

[Godric]

the network is already in place for a effective postal service should we decide to vote yes for independence .... this is the usual scaremongering pash that comes from unionist politicians .... which ever government that gets voted in will decide the make up of the Scottish postal system as well as defence, nhs, education etc ... it is only a matter of fine tuning it to suit the needs of the Scottish public

[Godric]

Leaving aside the question of how representative or not the vote may have been can we look at a wider question.

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/111132-snp- ... nce-force/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

these questions and others such as the defence issues rasied recently need clear and concise answers, but will the SNP offer any info?

The SNP has unveiled its defence plans for an independent Scotland with no nuclear weapons.

For the first time, the party has said it would consider remaining part of Nato if Trident missiles were removed from its soil.

Currently, the UK's entire stock of the intercontinental nuclear missile is housed at the Faslane base on the Clyde.

Under the proposals from SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson MP, Scotland would continue as a member of Nato but Faslane would be decommissioned as a nuclear submarine base and turned into the country's main naval headquarters.

Mr Robertson said that a post-independence Scotland would retain an "appropriate" armed force for the country's size, consisting of 15,000 regular and 5000 reserve personnel.

Meanwhile, the party would house a Scottish air force at Leuchars and Lossiemouth.

A document prepared ahead of the Nationalists' conference in autumn states: "The Scottish armed forces will be focused on territorial defence, aid to the civil power and also support for the international community.

"The Multi Role Brigade structure and interoperable air and sea assets will provide deployable capabilities for United Nations sanctioned missions and support of humanitarian, peacekeeping and peace-making ‘Petersburg Tasks’."

The proposal claims that the Scottish defence force would initially be equipped with "Scotland's share" of current UK assets such as transport aircraft, seagoing vessels, artillery and air defence systems.

It continues: "A Scottish defence industrial strategy and procurement plan will fill UK capability gaps in Scotland, addressing the lack of new frigates, conventional submarines and maritime patrol aircraft."

Mr Robertson said: “As a northern European nation we have domestic and international security responsibilities and obligations including mutual defence. We can deliver on these with properly funded conventional capabilities and without the obscenity of Trident weapons of mass destruction.

"With agreement on the withdrawal of Trident and retaining the important role of the UN, Scotland can continue working with neighbours and allies within Nato.

"By setting out such an ambitious and positive SNP agenda it will be incumbent to other parties to lay out their plans, in as much detail."

Conservative leader Ruth Davidson described the Nato resolution as "staggering" coming from a party "so furiously against the concept of nuclear deterrent".

"First of all the SNP were absolutely opposed to the prospect of joining Nato, then their plans to discuss it over the summer were booted into the long grass," she said.

"Much like its misguided stance on the EU, the SNP seems to think an independent Scotland would be waved through to join Nato automatically if they reverse their decades-long opposition to the Alliance.

"They are making it up as they go along."

[subbie]

Jersey Post seem to be making a go of their postal service including a network of sub post offices, were they not once a part of the UK wide service? Now standing on its own two feet. An example to an independent Scotland maybe?

I am not advocating such a split by the way, merely pointing out that other parts of the UK have crossed this bridge before.

Subbie

[fishtank]

Leaving aside the question of how representative or not the vote may have been can we look at a wider question.

The only pertinent question is will the Scottish postal service be safe under the umbrella of a privatised Royal Mail?
If the answer to that is no the wider question is redundant.

Delivery in large parts of rural Scotland is more expensive as it is in large parts of Wales and rural England.
Who is more likely to want to subsidise that extra cost?

1. A privatised Royal Mail.
2. A Conservative government.
3. An Independent Scottish government.

The true answer is probably none but at least 3 is the more likely.