Brown must tread carefully over the Post Office

The story that is going to develop today is the imminent bill on the partial privatisation of the postal service.

This has the potential to be far greater than any previously seen rebellion from the Labour benches and Gordon Brown should tread wearily.

Even Mrs Thatcher stood back from attacking this monolith to the state even as her ministers pressed for a sale.

Ranged now on the other side will be the news that without part privatisation,the pension prospects for the Post Office's workers could be in jeopardy.

Today hundreds of post office workers are set to march on Parliament to protest at the partial privatisation.The Communication union is warning that any move to this will damage the union government relationship.

Former cabinet minister Peter Hain has come out against the proposals.Writing in the Guardian this morning he says that

The universal service obligation – to deliver to any address anywhere for the same price – is now seriously at risk.