Future of our Post Offices rally

Last Wednesday I attended a rally organised by the Communication Workers Union, and other, on the future of our Post Offices. My remarks are printed below



Can I first of all say that I am delighted to be here with you as the national Convenor of the Scottish Socialist Party as the SSP shares common cause with you.
Let me at the outset put my cards on the table, as I believe in being honest. I am in favour of modernising the Post Office, I am in favour of real changes in the post office network, improving the service to the public and getting value for money for the taxpayer.
And it is because I see the post office as a vital public service catering to the needs of both the population and the government , I want to see it improved and extended.
But the governments proposals to close 2,500 local post offices and lay off 2,000 workers are not going to improve the service to the public nor provide value for money for the taxpayer.
As a socialist I am more motivated by providing for peoples needs than making vast profits.
I shiver when I hear the government say it wants to make the post office network more ‘profitable’. The post office is not a bank, no post office in the work makes money. It is there to provide a service to the public and paid for out of our taxes.
1,500 post offices have closed since 1980’s and we all know this has not meant a better service . It has resticted access rather than widened it.
The government points out that there are 4million fewer customers using the post office each week than 2 years ago. Why is that I wonder?
Could it have anything to do with the thousands of branches that have been closed? Could it be that having privatised the collection of the tv licence to Capita that customers have gone ?
And by the way let me tell you that Capita is a company set up to take advantage and no small profit from the PFI contracts from government. That’s right is has taken advantage of the massive increase in privatization of our public services by this government and made a fortune. And so grateful have they been to the government that the owner of Capita donated £1m to Labour last year and received a knighthood in return. Profitability? I call that corruption!

The Driving Licence Agency has taken its work away from the post office and you now get giros’ and pensions paid directly into bank accounts.
These are the reasons there are 4m fewer customers at the post office counters.
And by the way the 2-3million people denied a bank account are not the only ones who have reason to resent the banks. Do you know that the big clearing banks intend to charge anyone who pays in less than £20,000 per annum a £10 per month charge to operate their current account.
The post office is not a bank and nor should it seek to emulate them.

My vision of the post office is for a shop window for government services, one which is locally accessible and comprehensive and free to everyone to use.

I will not support any cuts in vital local services. I will not support the incessant privatization of public services. As a socialist the needs of ordainary people will always come before the profits of the few.

And can I finally thank the Communications Workers Union for organizing today’s successful lobby and assure you that I have a very good and continuing close working relationship with the CWU Scotland NO2 branch based here in Edinburgh, which has been at the forefront of every progressive cause both within and outwith the postal service for a generation or more and I know that will be fully appreciated back in London.