Royal Mail faced criticism after posting a photo of Number 10 with the caption “moving home?” shortly following Keir Starmer’s resignation announcement. The emotional Prime Minister, accompanied by his wife and senior cabinet members, made the decision amid ongoing speculation about his future, intensified by Andy Burnham’s recent by-election win. The timing of Royal Mail’s social media post was deemed inappropriate by many, who also highlighted the company’s failure to meet delivery targets. Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson labeled the post as “appallingly insensitive.”
Lib Dem councillor Alex Jeffery suggested that Royal Mail focus on improving its own services before commenting on political matters. The public response included criticism of Royal Mail’s service quality and a call for the company to prioritize its operations. Royal Mail, now under full foreign ownership since privatization in 2025, remains a key Universal Service Provider in the UK, with exclusive rights to issue postage stamps featuring the King’s image.
Ofcom launched an investigation into Royal Mail’s failure to meet delivery targets from the previous year, where the company fell short of first-class mail delivery benchmarks. Royal Mail acknowledged missing these targets for another consecutive year, citing 75.7% of first-class mail delivered the next working day. The company’s performance has raised concerns, prompting regulatory scrutiny.