Dom Tristram's Soapbox

In case you missed it, the government has just approved the sale of a majority stake in Royal Mail to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group. This means that one of the UK’s most historic institutions will now be predominantly owned by a foreign national. Many were surprised by this news, with some mistakenly believing this marks the start of Royal Mail’s privatisation. However, the truth is that this process began years ago.A Brief History of PrivatisationRoyal Mail was privatised in stages between 2013 and 2015, spearheaded by Vince Cable and the Liberal Democrats during the coalition government. It’s worth noting that the Lib Dems, often perceived as a moderate or progressive party, lean quite heavily towards free-market economics, similar to the Conservatives. This sale was a continuation of their economic philosophy, and now we’re seeing the consequences of that decision unfold.The recent government deliberations weren’t about whether Royal Mail should be privatised—they consider that ship as long