Speech for Keep the Post Public national rally — Wednesday 15th December

Many high profile supporters of the Keep the Post Public campaign spoke to the packed-out rally at Central Hall, Westminster yesterday.

So CWU general secretary Billy Hayes cut his remarks short.

Here is the full version of his planned speech.

The opinion polls are clear. A big majority of public opinion is against Royal Mail privatisation.

A majority of Lib Dem voters are against. More Tory voters are against than in favour.

Yet the coalition government intends to privatise Royal Mail anyway. This is just the arrogance of power — and a decision to look after their mates in the financial institutions...

This is important. Because it is the narrow basis of support which means they can be beaten.

But it isn’t going to be easy. They have a big parliamentary majority — and nearly a full term of parliament ahead of them.

So we must first remember that we have defeated privatisation three times before. On each of these occasions, the union was informed that we couldn’t win, and that privatisation was inevitable.

But we didn’t bow our heads. We just organised our campaign and won the fight.

Now this has become a badge of honour for the Lib Dems. We are told that what Lord Heseltine and Lord Mandelson couldn’t do, Vince Cable will.

They might have added Lord Leighton too.

We won’t be distracted. Instead we must pull together our support, and show the strength of our position.

Being experts about the postal industry can be a disadvantage — if we don’t sift our knowledge to make it accessible to the public.

For everything we want to say about the bill must be boiled down for those who aren’t experts.

Let’s be clear the proposal to completely sell Royal Mail means the government loses any control over Royal Mail.

Royal Mail will then not serve its social goals under a private owner.

The business priority will be the rate of return for investors.

These investors will not care about safeguarding the Post Office network.

These investors will not want to maintain the expensive burden o 6 day deliveries and uniform pricing...

That is why the coalition if refusing any protective amendments in the bill debate.

  • Proposals to maintain the use of Post Offices by the universal service provider — rejected.
  • Proposals to have an inter business agreement between Royal Mail and Post Office Limited in the bill — rejected.
  • Proposals to have Post Office numbers, or access criteria to Post Offices, in the Bill — rejected.

A privatised Royal Mail will not want to be carrying a publicly owned Post Office.

The coalition is pretending otherwise — but they are actively rejecting any protection in the bill for Post Offices.

The same process is happening with the universal service. The coalition feels under pressure from the electorate to defend the universal service.

But the business priority points in the opposite direction.

  • Proposals for Royal Mail to be guaranteed the universal service provider for ten years — rejected.
  • Proposals to prevent the universal service being broken up amongst more than one provider — rejected
  • Proposals to prevent the regulator from recommending an early reduction in the universal service — rejected.

Despite all the warm words — the coalition is refusing to burden the bill with any real guarantees for the Post Office network — or for the universal service.

We have to make this very widely known. These things are valued well beyond the CWU.

One thing we have to learn from the wonderful campaigning of students, and school students, is that there are real tensions inside the coalition.

Just by standing up for their rights and future, the young people have split the Lib Dems in half and created a small opposition inside the Tories.

If we really step up our work now that is what we can do. The more we organise in the localities, the more the pressure is felt inside the coalition.

We are going to be going full tilt on the national campaign.

The bill comes back for its report and third reading on January 12th.

We will want a big lobby of MPs that day.

At every stage of the bill’s progress in the Lords we will want high level activity.

On January 22nd, we have a national demonstration in the constituencies of Vice Cable and Ed Davey.

Make sure you book transport for your contingent for that day.

This coming Saturday, the Parliamentary Labour Party has agreed to make a priority of campaigning against Royal Mail privatisation.

Make sure you support the local constituency events.

This is not a narrow campaign. Like today’s event — you must draw in all those parties who oppose privatisation.

Draw in the organisations and charities who want to maintain the Post Offices.

We are working with the majority of public opinion — so we mustn’t be narrow in our organising.

Make a fuss in your local media. There are regional events planned — so make sure your broadcasters and local news editors know what is going on.

You are the story — so don’t forget to tell it.

We have a few months to save Royal Mail — a few months to make a difference.

Make sure you use this time to the full — together we will win.

Thanks for coming today and thanks for listening.