Mail sale ‘mistake’

The Royal Mail is one of our great British institutions, with a proud history going back several ­centuries. No sound reasons have been given for selling it off.

Postal minister Michael Fallon talks of getting freedom to raise the money it needs to invest in the future, but this does not make sense. The Royal Mail is a public service, not a business.

If the government does not understand this and ignores public opinion, it will do so at its own peril. Voters will not forget it at the next election.

When post offices are closed because they are unprofitable and we are too old to drive to ­another town or village, it will be too late to complain.

Malby Goodman

High Street

Aberdour

After Mail is privatised, will it still be Royal? And will ­competing commercial owners be able to use the Queen’s head on stamps and/or franking to ­advertise their services?

Ronnie Cramond

Oswald Road

Edinburgh