Royal Mail has launched an investigation after a postal worker appeared to boast that they had discarded Reform UK leaflets ahead of the local elections. A post on a Facebook group for staff read: 'My DO had reform party’s D2D today. I dumped them all in a bin.' 'DO' refers to delivery office, and 'D2D' stands for door-to-door, or unaddressed advertising mail. The user added: 'They can sack me,' signing off with 'Idgaf! [I don’t give a f***]'
Incident Details
The message was shared to a 30,000-member Facebook group called Royal Mail Chat, which is open to employees, partners, and members of the Communication Workers Union. Reform UK, like other parties, has been distributing campaign leaflets ahead of the elections on May 7. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage branded the alleged incident 'very disturbing.'
Legal Response
Alistair Cochrane, chief executive of the postal service, received a letter from lawyers acting on behalf of Reform UK regarding a 'suspected serious incident of apparent deliberate misconduct.' The lawyers stated: 'Such conduct constitutes a wilful breach of Royal Mail’s statutory and contractual obligations to deliver mail and literature impartially and efficiently. It also undermines the democratic process and Reform UK’s lawful right to engage in political campaigning.'
The lawyers called the incident 'a serious affront to basic democratic principles, to the hundreds of thousands of voters who are entitled to receive information from all parties on an equal basis.'
Reform UK's Demands
Writing on X, Nigel Farage said: 'If this is found to be true, it would be very disturbing, albeit this is not the first time that I have encountered this.' In 2024, ahead of the general election, Royal Mail was embroiled in another scandal when a postman was filmed writing 'racists' on a Reform UK leaflet. Addressing the most recent incident, Reform UK demanded an 'immediate and thorough internal investigation' and a full written explanation. It also requested details of any compensation measures Royal Mail 'proposes to offer for the loss and disruption caused.'
Royal Mail's Statement
A spokesman for the postal service said it plays a 'crucial role' in elections. They added: 'We take our responsibility very seriously and do not tolerate the deliberate non‑delivery of mail. We are investigating this allegation and remain committed to impartial delivery for all candidates.'
