THE ROYAL MAIL WON'T BE SOLD OFF - that is the prediction of Shona McIsaac, following meetings with Labour MPs.

Plans to bring private finance into the Royal Mail have proved controversial since they were first announced with hundreds of backbenchers backing a motion to call for the plans to be halted. It had been widely predicted that the plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail would only get through the House of Commons with Tory support.

'Over recent weeks, it has become clear that the Government were looking for a way to kick the plans into the very long grass. Every time that forthcoming business for the House of Commons has been announced, there has been no sight of the legislation - we kept saying it must have been lost in the post!' said Shona.

'On Monday, at a meeting of MPs, only one MP wanted the plans brought forward.

'Many of us have been suggesting that the Government should simply reveal that, at a time of recession, they can't find a private partner willing to invest sufficient finances.

'I reckon by the end of the week, the Government will say that they aren't going ahead with the plans.'

29 June 2009