Summary
The UK government has approved Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský’s £3.6bn takeover of International Distribution Services (IDS), Royal Mail’s parent company, after a national security review.
It marks the first foreign ownership in Royal Mail’s 508-year history. The government retains a “golden share” to protect the postal service’s obligations, branding, and UK-based operations.
The deal includes commitments to maintain the universal service, worker protections, and delivery performance.
While seen as a pivotal moment for Royal Mail’s future, scrutiny persists over Křetínský’s ties to Russian energy and controversial business dealings.
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying, but Royal Mail was privatised a decade ago. It was floated on the stock market back in late 2013 (for around £2b, and despite objections from 96% of staff), and the government let go of their 30% stake in 2015. Křetínský was a big shareholder even then.