Tag: UK

Allan Leighton, Royal Mail chairman, is expected to begin pushing next week for a partial privatisation of the national postal operator through an employee buyout. The proposal, which would enable Royal Mail to borrow an extra Pounds 2bn against its balance sheet, will test the government’s manifesto pledge that there were “no plans to privatise” the postal group. Royal Mail officials said yesterday there was enough “wiggle room” in the government’s position to allow the John Lewis-style plan of employee ownership to be implemented. The man who will ultimately decide whether the scheme could go ahead is Alan Johnson, a former postman and the new secretary of productivity, energy and industry.

Bumper profits of about Pounds 530 million will be unveiled by the UK Post Office next week, boosted by sharp rises in stamp prices over the past three years. The surprise surplus, more than double the Pounds 220 million of last year, will trigger Pounds 1,000 bonuses for the 195,000 workforce. At the same time, chairman Allan Leighton will announce a dramatic improvement in delivery standards, though Royal Mail is expected to miss its most important target that 93 per cent of firstclass mail should arrive the following day. The surge in profits was given a cautious welcome by the Government funded watchdog, Postwatch. A spokesman said: ‘It is good to see the Royal Mail heading in the right direction, but we should not get too excited. Much of this increase is down to us the consumer who is having to pay more for stamps.