UK Post Office Chairman defends stance

Post Office chairman Allan Leighton has defended his tough stance over striking postal workers and plans to close up to 2,500 post offices over the next year.

Tough talk from Allan LeightonSpeaking to Sky News’ Jeff Randall on Jeff Randall Live, Mr Leighton said it was all about modernization.

“We’re a business that’s now in a commercial world, we’ve got real competition, we’re not a monopoly any more and we can’t keep going back to the tax payer and asking for money, that’s the one thing we don’t want to do.

“We’re relatively inefficient compared with our competitors… our competition has been doing what we should be doing for 10 years.”

When asked if he was prepared to compromise, Mr Leighton said a deal had to be done in the interests of the company.

“This is about the future of the Royal Mail… it is at a tipping point… the Mail’s business is under intense pressure and we’ve got to build a company for the future.”

Meanwhile, public consultations are starting on plans to close the post offices next year.

Customers in Kent, East Midlands and East Yorkshire will be asked for their views on proposals to close 180 branches in their areas.

It would start a period of “huge change” in the post office network, said consumer watchdog Postwatch.

“Closures are not good news for customers, but the current post office network is unsustainable,” said Chairwoman Millie Banerjee.