Royal Mail is conducting an investigation following allegations that a postal worker admitted to discarding Reform UK campaign leaflets in a bin.
The claim was made in a post on a private Facebook group for Royal Mail employees, where an individual stated that they disposed of all the Reform party’s door-to-door campaign materials in a bin, expressing indifference to potential consequences. The post was shared within the Royal Mail Chat group, which has around 30,000 members.
In response to the incident, a legal representative for Reform UK sent a formal complaint to Alistair Cochrane, the CEO of Royal Mail. The letter highlighted that the screenshot of the post was circulated over the weekend and explained the acronyms used in the message.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, commented on the situation, stating that it is crucial for Royal Mail to thoroughly investigate the allegation. He emphasized the significance of upholding the democratic process.
Royal Mail released a statement underscoring its vital role in elections and its commitment to impartial mail delivery for all candidates. The postal service affirmed that deliberate non-delivery of mail is not tolerated and that an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Reform UK demanded an immediate and comprehensive internal inquiry within three days of sending their letter. They also requested a detailed explanation from Royal Mail regarding any compensatory actions proposed for the disruption caused by the incident.
The legal representative for Reform UK pointed out in the Facebook post that the admission in question provides substantial evidence of intentional destruction or non-delivery of the campaign materials entrusted to Royal Mail. Such actions were deemed as a breach of the postal service’s obligations and a threat to the democratic process.
The Facebook group where the original post surfaced is accessible to Royal Mail staff, their partners, and members of the Communication Workers Union, a union representing postal workers. The group explicitly states that it does not allow entry to current or former Royal Mail managers.