Tories Have Met Potential Royal Mail Bidders

The shadow business secretary, Kenneth Clarke, has said that he has held 'private, confidential meetings' with potential bidders for the Royal Mail.

Speaking as the 48-hour postal strike began, Mr Clarke said that his party wanted to privatise Royal Mail but that he "certainly would not wish to break it up".

Adding that "the current situation is not encouraging any bidders" he said that a Conservative government would "make a fresh start", bringing in private capital and expertise to try "to put this company back on its feet again".

Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers' Union, said that it was "quite happy to go to Acas and have a third party look at our record as against what Royal Mail is saying" in order to resolve the current dispute.

Up to 42,000 mail centre staff and network drivers began a 24-hour strike today, while 78,000 delivery and collection workers will walk out tomorrow in a dispute over the modernisation of postal services.

Dispute News