A man walks past a closed off postbox in central London on February 24, 2009. The Government on Tuesday defended controversial plans to sell off part of the Royal Mail as a row was blazing over dire warnings of the "severe" impact on pensions if part-privatisation does not go ahead. The chairman of the Royal Mail's pension trustees, Jane Newell, said in a letter to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson that there would be "devastating consequences" if more investment was not found. AFP PHOTO/Shaun Curry (Photo credit should read SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty Images)