I'm not sure the solution is as simple as the "headlines" might suggest.
The Post Office provides a social service as well as a commercial service. There might be an argument in favour of privatising the commercial aspect of it and providing a government subsidy for the social aspects. (I would include the pension fund in the latter.)
The Royal Mail is a commercial operation and is run as such by its single shareholder. If the shareholder had introduced capital into the Royal Mail as it has done in the NHS then its modernisation would have been completed some time ago. However, there is no money left in the pot to do this now (don't tell Gordon Brown, though - let him remain in his fantasy world).
What is not clear is whether this is being driven by EU legislation - perhaps you could enlighten us, Diane? (The weblink below suggests it could be.)
What would be helpful is to have information on what has happened in other similar countries. For example, those most similar to the UK would include Ireland, Australia and NZ. While they may have different pension regimes, they have all suffered from the same change in business volumes and changes to banking. How have those countries managed the changed environment? How about a question to the appropriate democratically elected minister, Diane? (By the way this US website has some information on foreign postal services - not sure about its accuracy http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/06/23/privatize-the-post-office/
I support the positive comments of the contributor above about the Post Office in Seven Sisters Road - if it refers to the Finsbury park branch. I also share the same frustration as another contributor about the serice from the Royal Mail - if they have less work than before, how come the service is MUCH worse than before?
HearFromYourMP