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Leaders clash over postal dispute Leaders clash over postal dispute
(about 1 hour later)
David Cameron has accused Gordon Brown of lacking the "courage and leadership" to intervene in the postal dispute to prevent two days of planned strikes.David Cameron has accused Gordon Brown of lacking the "courage and leadership" to intervene in the postal dispute to prevent two days of planned strikes.
The Conservative leader said postal unions had been emboldened to take action by Mr Brown's "weakness".The Conservative leader said postal unions had been emboldened to take action by Mr Brown's "weakness".
He said that since plans to part-privatise Royal Mail had been shelved, "union militancy has got worse".He said that since plans to part-privatise Royal Mail had been shelved, "union militancy has got worse".
Mr Brown said that had nothing to do with the dispute and urged unions and managers to agree a deal.Mr Brown said that had nothing to do with the dispute and urged unions and managers to agree a deal.
The Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union have been in contact on Wednesday but no more face-to-face talks are scheduled ahead of the two planned 24-hour strikes. The Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union have been in contact on Wednesday but no more face-to-face talks are scheduled ahead of the two planned 24-hour strikes on Thursday and Friday.
'Negotiation and mediation''Negotiation and mediation'
At Prime Minister's questions, Mr Brown said the strike, due to begin on Thursday, would be "counter-productive" for the business, its staff and the public. At Prime Minister's questions, Mr Brown said the strike would be "counter-productive" for the business, its staff and the public.
He said the Bill which would have sold off part of the Royal Mail - which was strongly opposed by Labour MPs - had "nothing to do with the dispute at the moment", which he said dated back to 2007.He said the Bill which would have sold off part of the Royal Mail - which was strongly opposed by Labour MPs - had "nothing to do with the dispute at the moment", which he said dated back to 2007.
He said politicians should be urging "negotiation and mediation" adding: "It's in nobody's interest that this strike goes ahead." This trade union can sense weakness and they see weakness in the prime minister and this government David CameronConservative leader
Politicians should be urging "negotiation and mediation," he said, adding: "It's in nobody's interest that this strike goes ahead."
He told Mr Cameron: "I would urge you to reflect on your comments as to whether anything you are saying is making it easier for us to solve what is a difficult dispute."He told Mr Cameron: "I would urge you to reflect on your comments as to whether anything you are saying is making it easier for us to solve what is a difficult dispute."
But the Tory leader accused the PM of "an appalling display of weakness" in apparently dropping legislation to reform Royal Mail.But the Tory leader accused the PM of "an appalling display of weakness" in apparently dropping legislation to reform Royal Mail.
Mr Brown said the reason the plan had been halted was that there had been no commercial buyer for the service - he also claimed a Conservative frontbencher had said they were not sure the Tories could sell it either, if they won power. "This trade union can sense weakness and they see weakness in the prime minister and this government," he said.
'Condemn it''Condemn it'
Mr Brown said the reason the plan had been halted was that there had been no commercial buyer for the service - he also claimed a Conservative frontbencher had said they were not sure the Tories could sell it either, if they won power.
But Mr Cameron said his party would support the bill and asked why Mr Brown did not have "the guts" to bring it to the House of Commons.But Mr Cameron said his party would support the bill and asked why Mr Brown did not have "the guts" to bring it to the House of Commons.
"Since the government abandoned part-privatisation of the Royal Mail, union militancy has got worse," he said."Since the government abandoned part-privatisation of the Royal Mail, union militancy has got worse," he said.
"You didn't stop the Bill because you couldn't sell the Royal Mail. You stopped the Bill because you couldn't sell it to your own backbenchers." The 2007 modernisation is at the heart of this dispute and that is what's got to be moved forward. The bill is nothing to do with this dispute Gordon Brown
"You didn't stop the bill because you couldn't sell the Royal Mail. You stopped the bill because you couldn't sell it to your own backbenchers."
Mr Cameron urged the prime minister to "condemn these strikes and join me in sending a direct message to the trade union to call this strike off".Mr Cameron urged the prime minister to "condemn these strikes and join me in sending a direct message to the trade union to call this strike off".
But Mr Brown accused him of bringing industrial relations "into the political arena".But Mr Brown accused him of bringing industrial relations "into the political arena".
He added: "It would be far better if the Conservative Party and other parties encouraged there to be negotiation and, if necessary, arbitration on this matter.He added: "It would be far better if the Conservative Party and other parties encouraged there to be negotiation and, if necessary, arbitration on this matter.
"I repeat to you, the 2007 modernisation is at the heart of this dispute and that is what's got to be moved forward. The Bill is nothing to do with this dispute." "I repeat to you, the 2007 modernisation is at the heart of this dispute and that is what's got to be moved forward. The bill is nothing to do with this dispute."
'Clearly preposterous'
But Mr Cameron said the issue was already in the political arena as the CWU gave money to the Labour Party.
Later Lib Dem frontbencher Norman Baker told BBC Radio 4's World at One it was "mischievous" to suggest the strikes were linked to the decision to withdraw the bill.
But he said Mr Brown had "clearly" dropped the bill in the face of anger from his own backbenchers "There's nothing against taking legislation through without a buyer because then the legislation is in place to sell the asset at that particular time if that's what the government wants."
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said it was "clearly preposterous" to link the strike and the dispute as it went back "years".
He warned that the dispute "threatens the future of the Royal Mail" and could result in "serious redundancies among the workforce" and said it could only be solved through negotiation.
Royal Mail plans to recruit 30,000 temporary workers to help clear any backlog and deal with the Christmas rush - a decision the union says could "inflame" the dispute.
Rail Maritime and Transport general secretary Bob Crow said the CWU was at the forefront of a fight to protect jobs, working conditions and pensions and said his members would join picket lines if the strikes went ahead.
"We can all see the vultures of the private sector sniffing around the Royal Mail, looking for any opportunity to kill off the universal service and turn the post into a money-making racket that mirrors the experience on the railways."