'Should the Royal Mail be part-privatised?' poll discussion

Ollie_Beak_2

Surely it will be the thin edge of the wedge? As profits from commercialism starts to rule (and shareholders want a return on their investment, an additional burden in its own right) cutbacks will follow and the elderly who do not use e-mail, the remote hamlets and villages and isolated homes will not get a service. We should be proud that we have an all inclusive Royal Mail service - for everyone and should not allow fiscal policies of any Government to erode their rights, although a minority in terms of the population, from being discriminated against

rickbonar

I've been looking at the history of the post service in Britain.

It's essentially a model that other countries copied, first history dates to Henry VIII ... 1516 when the King set up Master of the posts.
Became a publc service July 1635 under Charles I, evolved later into Royal Mail with Ralph Allen at Bath with coaches delivering throughout the country in organised system. Later becomes also known GPO and also encompasses telegraph then telephones services.

Continues on evolving and getting better until the early 1980s when the phone service is (my words) butchered up and given sold off cheaply for benefit of big businesses to exploit and milk us for profit from things such as premium numbers which would have been unthinkable before.

Getting back to the Mail service this service worked very well for some 250 years to most people's satisfaction. My mail 20 years ago was here by 9.00 in the morning now it's often later than 1.00pm and I feel we're paying more for less.



And they're telling us it needs privatising. ( Originally a Conservative proposal when John Major was PM shouted down by Labour - now it's Labour's too) mmmmm More moats in the offing I suspect.

Just remember BT the railways etc.