Peter Clarke, at the Adam Smith Institute Weblog, on eliminating the Royal Mail’s postal monopoly:
The Post Office used to run a monopoly telephone service too. Sir Keith Joseph exploded that by privatizing it and bringing in competition. We can all see the dynamic force he released in the phone market today.
Robert Burns remarked the only truly urgent mail items are love letters and cheques. It may be that speed is not what the market needs. The present 28p 1st Class is a rip off. Rivals say they could deliver for 5p. …
We have an open market in parcels. Civilisation did not tumble, but prices did. So let us remove the Royal Mail’s antique status. The paradox is it may then focus on the future and thrive.
Anybody working on de-reg issues has to love that line: “Civilization did not tumble, but prices did.”