Selling off the Royal Mail was a privatisation too far, even for many Tory advocates of the free market. Margaret Thatcher, the patron saint of shrinking the state by selling off its assets, believed to Royal Mail should be publicly owned.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is fighting to keep 74 crown Post Offices, which remained in public ownership when the Royal Mail was privatised, from bring 'franchised'; meaning sold off, to WH Smiths.
The union fears for the jobs of the 800 workers employed on the post offices and that services to communities will be hit.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: ' at a time when the government is claiming to be on the side of workers, it is an outrage that it is allowing well rewarded jobs to go from a public service.'
He added that the jobs were at risk of being handed over to a 'second rate employer', that had been 'recently rated as the worst retailer on the high street' who would ' undoubtedly provide a significantly inferior service'.
W H Smith has been ranked as one of the UK's worst retailers in a survey run by consumer organisation Which for the past eight years. Complaints from disgruntled customers included stores with 'wonky' shelves and badly timed promotions.
(Source: BBC News)
The Green Party has opposed the privatisation of the Royal Mail since the idea was first mooted under New Labour.
In 2009 prospective MEP for the Eastern Region described the Royal Mail as a 'cherished and trusted national institution'.
He added that privatisation would benefit ' big business, not consumers, we have seen this in the NHS, BT and the railways'.
In 2013 the Greens supported the CWU in their campaign against privatisation, during which a party spokesperson said: 'privatisation of the Royal Mail will only lead to rising prices, worse conditions for postal workers and a declining service in rural areas'.
Adding that the party stands ' firmly on the side of public ownership, in line with our commitment to bringing rail, energy and other privatised utilities back into public hands'.
The CWU has launched a dedicated website for the campaign at www.saveourpostoffice.co.uk through which members and supporters can sign a petition calling on Greg Clarke, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to call a halt to the sell off .
Campaign Coordinator for North Staffs Green Party Adam Colclough said: 'privatisation of the Post Office and other services has been a disaster for communities'.
North Staffs Greens have written to Greg Clarke asking him to stop the sale of crown post offices and have signed the CWU petition.
He added that the party was ' entirely committed to returning postal services, railways and utilities to public ownership.'
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