Military Families Blog

PARCEL FORCE

31-10-2007

News that some MPs are claiming more than £35,000 a year in postage costs hasn't gone down well with the families of troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. As Carol Jones explains, their free parcels service ends on December 7, the last posting day for Xmas.

Why on earth must we pay for MPs' stamps while they deny soldiers free parcels?

Teresa Theobold and myself worked our butts off to get free parcels for our troops.

Now we have been told the free postage ends on the 7th December 2007. So families with soldiers on active duty for Christmas must pay £6.40 for a 2kg parcel if we send anything after that date.

The Labour MP Siobhan McDonagh spent £35,207 on stationery and stamps, and Home Office Minister Liam Byrne – the Birmingham Hodge Hill MP managed to get through £28,170 on postage.

The Ministry of Defence does not currently charge to send parcels to Iraq and Afghanistan but once the temporary Royal Mail offer ends (and we've only had it for three months) families will have to pay the normal price.

I reckon this just sends a message to our lads risking their lives just how much they are thought of.

I urge you, please sign our peitition http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/parcels43 thank you.

If MPs get free postage, should Forces families be able to send parcels to Iraq and Afghanistan free of charge as well?

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