Press statement - mutulisation of the Post Office

In response to the government announcement today (Wednesday 4 July 2012) that Post Office Ltd is set to take a mutual form of ownership, Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK, said:

“Co-operatives UK welcomes the announcement today by government on the next step towards mutualising Post Office Ltd.

A mutual option for the Post Office is now the consensus way forward. It now seems entirely likely that, within a few years, the people that know and love their post office will have the opportunity to shape and support the network.

The key elements that are now proposed by government are fully in line with the recommendations Co-operatives UK has made. While a strong degree of risk clearly remains on the commercial side, this is now the best hope for a sustainable post office network in the UK.

We warmly welcome the open and patient way in which the government has worked with the key groups involved in and around the Post Office.

We are pleased by the prospect of Post Office Ltd becoming a significant new mutual in the UK economy, trading in the public interest.”

Mutual options for the Post Office Ltd