The Westminster Spiv

Vince Cable the Secretary of State for Business said today that "Markets are often irrational or rigged," "So I am shining a harsh light into the murky world of corporate behaviour.

I agree, so I will shine some light on some of Vince's murky behaviour



It was back in 2006 that the EU commissioner for the internal market, at the time Charlie McCreevy, told Member State governments across the European Union that they must scrap their monopoly on delivering letters by 2009.

EU Directives for the regulation of Royal Mail

Directive 97/67/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997 (came into force in February 1998)

Directive 2002/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002 amending Directive 97/67/EC

Directive 2008/6/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 20 February 2008 amending the initial Postal Directive 97/67/EC as amended by Directive 2002/39/EC

Prior to the implementation of the 1997 European Union Directive, the UK postal service sector was governed by the Post Office Acts of 1953 and 1969 and the Telecommunications Act 1981. This legislation set out the responsibilities of the British Government towards postal services and gave the Post Office its powers and duties.

The Postal Services Act 2000 (PSA) implemented the 1997 European Union Directive in the UK. Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 3050 amended the PSA to take account of the changes required by the 2002 European Union Directive.