MP BUOYED BY PUBLIC MISTRUST OF PUBLIC SERVICE SELL-OFFS

Angus MP Mike Weir has been buoyed by an opinion poll, carried out on behalf of Trade Unions, which has concluded that most people are opposed to the privatisation of public services, such as the NHS.

Mr Weir called on the UK Government to take heed of the public’s mood on public services being privatised and to reverse their intensions on gearing the Royal Mail and Post Office services to privatisation.

“I welcome these poll findings as it shows people have a total mistrust in our public services being privatised.  Privatised public services are seen as being more concerned in profit than offering a good public service.

“You only have to see the shocking service many English people have to endure from the once public, but now privatised, water companies to see evidence of this mistrust. The Prices charged by Scottish Water are bad enough but water bills in England have risen sharply without any improvements or proper investment in service.

“Indeed the situation is now so bad that there are drought orders in force in parts of England because so much water is lost through leaky pipes.

“In Scotland, however, the Government’s disgraceful handling of the Post Office and Royal Mail is a classic example.  In the last few years we have and are continuing to see vital services cut, rural and urban post offices close and all because the Government insists on hiving off this once proud public industry to the open market.

“Privatisation of the Royal Mail and Post Office will destroy the vital services it offers to rural and many urban areas in Scotland.  The Post Office and Royal Mail are too important to be sold off to private companies who are merely interested in profit than service.”