Royal Mail REFUSES to print commemorative Brexit stamps - so explain THESE pro-EU stamps!
THE day Britain breaks away from the shackles of the European Union will not be an “important anniversary”, Royal Mail has declared in its first explanation of why commemorative stamps will not be produced.
The national postal service insisted that it does not get involved in “political matters”, and producing Brexit stamps would damage its “strict political neutrality” during elections and referendums.
Yet eagle-eyed critics immediately pointed to the fact that in 1973, when Britain joined the European Economic Community, Royal Mail produced stamps showing a Union-Jack emblazoned UK jigsaw piece slotting into a bigger European puzzle.
Royal Mail Director of Public Affairs and Policy David Gold said in a letter to MPs: "I am not aware of the thinking or decision-making that led to the stamps issued in 1973 by the General Post Office."
Until now Royal Mail has declined to explain its decision not to print any stamps to mark Brexit in March next year.
For many years, it has been our policy not to get involved in political matters
The Royal Mail executive told MPs that it printed 13 sets of “special stamps” each year, but these only tended to "mark important anniversaries and activities that reflect the UK's heritage and contribution to the world”.
In a response to Tory MP David Jones, Mr Gold said: "For many years, it has been our policy not to get involved in political matters.
"Royal Mail maintains strict political neutrality due to the important role we play in the electoral process including referendums. Around 20 per cent of votes are cast through the post and we deliver election literature for candidates of all parties."
In the past 12 months Royal Mail has issued stamps of the albums of David Bowie, famous race horses like Red Rum and Frankel and characters from the Mr Men and Little Miss books, including Mr Happy, Mr Bump and Little Miss Naughty.
Mr Gold told Mr Jones, a former Welsh secretary in David Cameron’s government: “Our special stamps mark important anniversaries and activities that reflect the UK’s heritage and contribution to the world.
“We receive hundreds of requests a year for stamp subjects, and we research hundreds more relating to the specific year in question."
Royal Mail’s stance has already been heavily criticised by Boris Johnson, the Foreign secretary, and Michael Gove, the Environment secretary, who played major roles in the Leave campaign during the European Union referendum in 2016.
A Royal Mail spokesman declined to comment further beyond saying that its position was set out in the letter.