Royal Mail is for public service - not profit (From Wirral Globe)

Royal Mail is for public service - not profit

11:12am Thursday 5th November 2009

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While we all regard with apprehension the diminishing prospect of our Christmas cards, presents and other messages of good cheer being delivered on time and we watch helplessly as the Communication Workers Union with increasing obduracy confronts the Royal Mail management, let us not forget the nine letter disaster of “Consignia.”

I guess many will ask what is, or rather what was, Consignia?

This, some readers may remember, was the howling waste of money by the Royal Mail, which spent millions in a ridiculous rebranding exercise which in the face of public ridicule was quickly consigned to the dustbin.

The bright spark who came up with this risible idea no doubt is still enjoying his performance bonus or perhaps he was snapped up by one of the banks? It strikes me that both sides including the Government have lost sight of the principle that the Royal Mail is a public service and while in all walks of life we have to keep pace with the changes that are an inevitable consequence of evolution, not everything that we produce or offer by way of service has to earn a profit.

Surely providing a public benefit at an affordable cost to the consumer should not be regarded as making a loss?

David Kirwan, Prospective Independent MP for Wirral West.

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