Letter: The Post Office is worth a penny

Sir: I wrote to protest against the closure of the pits. I write now to protest against the privatisation of the Post Office. The mines were closed for economic reasons, ignoring the wider social implications on which, as yet, nobody has set a cost. The postman performs a wider social function, and although it may be very hard to quantify it is not something that should be sacrificed for short- term gain. Promises to maintain the present nationwide price structure are not reassuring.

As for Michael Heseltine's declarations on this matter, his involvement in the coal mines debacle offers little comfort. It may be nave, but I would rather pay a penny more and keep our present postal service. As I would have preferred to pay extra for my coal rather than see hundreds of men out of a job and whole communities destroyed.

Yours faithfully,

TIM CRAIG

Chester

18 May