Labor Party opposes Brown on Royal Mail

LONDON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Opposition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's plan for partial-privatization of the British postal system is overwhelming, a poll released Friday said.

YouGov surveyed 911 members of the party Thursday, The Guardian reported. Almost three-quarters, 74 percent, said the Royal Mail is satisfactory and only 14 percent said it needs to change, while only 24 percent support selling a minority share to private interests.

Labor unions plan to demonstrate against the proposal Saturday at the party's national policy forum in Bristol. While the Royal Mail is not on the agenda, Brown is likely to be questioned on it.

The Royal Mail has a 6 billion pound ($9 billion) pension deficit. The YouGov poll found that 46 percent of Labor Party members support closing the gap through higher taxes or spending cuts, while 26 percent say seeking private sector investment and 12 percent by reducing pensions.

Lord Peter Mandelson, the business secretary, is the main backer of partial privatization. A motion in the House of Commons opposing the plan has received the backing of seven ministerial aides and Ann Clwyd, Brown's special envoy to Iraq.