Will Forster MP Joins Cross-Party Call to Fix Failing Royal Mail Service

Will Forster MP has joined dozens of Liberal Democrat colleagues in writing to the Minister for Employment Rights to raise alarm over Royal Mail’s persistent delivery failures. With postal targets missed across the UK and proposed changes threatening to worsen services, the letter calls for urgent action to protect vulnerable communities and restore public trust in the postal system.

The letter reads:

Justin Madders MP
Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets
Department for Business and Trade
King Charles Street
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AH

Re: Royal Mail Performance 15 July 2025

Dear Justin Madders,

We, the undersigned Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament, write to express our deep concern about the persistently poor performance of Royal Mail and the impact this is having
on communities across the UK.

At the outset, we wish to place on record our sincere thanks to postal workers and deliverers for their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to serving our communities—often in difficult and challenging circumstances. We recognise that postal workers are the backbone of the service, working tirelessly to deliver for households and businesses despite the pressures they face. Our criticism is not directed at these hardworking individuals, but rather at the management and operations of Royal Mail as a business. 

Recent data shows that Royal Mail is failing to meet its delivery targets in every postcode area across the UK, with no region achieving the required standards for first or second-class deliveries. This widespread underperformance is causing significant disruption, with many people experiencing delays and missed deliveries for essential items such as medical appointments, prescriptions, and bills.

Despite previous fines and regulatory interventions, Royal Mail’s service levels have not improved to an acceptable standard. Public trust in the universal service obligation has been
seriously undermined, and the current system is not delivering the reliable postal service that communities expect and deserve.

Against this backdrop, we are particularly concerned by Ofcom’s proposed changes to the universal service obligation. Allowing Royal Mail to alternate or remove second-class deliveries on certain days, eliminate Saturday second-class deliveries, and reduce delivery targets for both first and second-class post risks further entrenching poor service. If Royal Mail is unable to meet existing targets, there is little reason to believe that lowering the bar will result in a more reliable or effective postal service. Instead, these changes could leave rural communities, the elderly, disabled, and vulnerable individuals even more at risk of missing vital correspondence.

We therefore call on the Government and Ofcom to work collaboratively with Royal Mail to:

• Improve the quality and reliability of postal services nationwide
• Restore and uphold robust delivery targets for both first and second-class mail
• Address staff retention and working conditions to ensure a motivated and sustainable workforce

Any changes to the universal service obligation must be designed to deliver a more reliable and effective postal service for all, ensuring that the needs of households, businesses, and vulnerable individuals are properly met.

Yours sincerely,
Chris Coghlan
Liberal Democrat MP for Dorking & Horley

CC’d to Chief Executive of Ofcom & CEO of Royal Mail

Co-signed:

Josh Babarinde MP
Alison Bennett MP
Jess Brown-Fuller MP
Charlotte Cane MP
Alistair Carmichael MP
Wendy Chamberlain MP
Danny Chambers MP
Victoria Collins MP
Daisy Cooper MP
Lee Dillon MP
Sarah Dyke MP
Richard Foord MP
Will Forster MP
Andrew George MP
Sarah Gibson MP
Tom Gordon MP
Angus MacDonald MP
James MacCleary MP
Freddie van Mierlo MP
John Milne MP
Tom Morrison MP
Susan Murray MP
Sarah Olney MP
Manuela Perteghella MP
Roz Savage MP
Ian Sollom MP
Luke Taylor MP
Martin Wrigley MP