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While Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last night declined to comment directly on the takeover bid, he signalled that the Government would revisit how “former public sector monopolies” are regulated to safeguard the provision of vital services.
However, the Labour Party has signalled it is open to Mr Křetínský’s approach.
A spokesman for Mr Křetínský pointed to the tycoon’s existing UK investments, which include stakes in Sainsbury’s and West Ham, as well as power plants and other critical energy infrastructure.
The surprise bid comes as Royal Mail grapples to stem heavy losses in its struggling letters business.
Bosses have outlined proposals to deliver second class post just three times a week amid concerns its so-called universal service obligation (USO) has left it financially unsustainable.
Sir Vince, who was accused of undervaluing Royal Mail after shares surged by more than a third on its first day of trading, said privatisation was the “only feasible route” as the company needed to raise more capital to fund its turnaround.
But he added: “What I’m disappointed by is that we put this into the private sector in order to give the company freedom to raise capital which they couldn’t raise from the Treasury in order to invest in a new logistics business.
“They’ve now had a decade and they haven’t turned the business around. It’s disappointing”.
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