Call for Royal Mail to stay public

Moves by firms to suspend deliveries to snow-hit Scotland demonstrate the need to ensure Royal Mail stays in public hands, the Commons has heard.

MPs also demanded that the universal service obligation (USO) be retained ahead of moves to privatise Royal Mail.

They were speaking as many of the big supermarket chains and mail order firms announced they are not accepting orders from Scottish homes due to the severe weather.

Labour’s David Hamilton (Midlothian) called on David Cameron to “step back” from privatisation, while Lib Dem Malcolm Bruce (Gordon) attacked mail-order firms who had “cancelled Christmas”. He also said the USO had to be “secured and protected”.

The Prime Minister praised the “very good work” of postal workers across the country, adding: “Let’s all pay tribute to those who are going to make sure that cards and presents are delivered on time.”

At Prime Minister’s Question Time Mr Hamilton said: “It has been horrendous in Scotland and the north of England.

“The only people who are delivering are the Royal Mail. The private companies have offloaded their commitments to the Royal Mail. The £20 million the Royal Mail has invested is important.

“Are you going to guarantee the universal service and can you and your friend make sure you review the Royal Mail’s privatisation and step back from it?”

Mr Cameron replied: “The whole point about trying to get private capital and management involved in the Royal Mail is to make the service better and to make sure it can go on doing all the things we want it to do. The fact is they were going to bring forward plans because even they realised this needs to be done.”

Mr Bruce said: “Those mail order firms who are cancelling Christmas in Scotland, who are refusing to accept orders, should accept that they cannot and do not match the universal service in postal services and that is why it should be secured and protected.”