The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents Royal Mail workers have said that national postal strikes could begin on Thursday the 22nd of October.

The CWU have called on the Royal Mail to agree to their terms otherwise they would have ‘no option' but to strike.The CWU must give seven days notice before any strike action commences.

A recent survey by the British Chambers of Commerce has revealed that 75% of small businesses are looking elsewhere for a more reliable service.

"Businesses are very upset by what's happening and they're worried about how it will affect their services. All they want is consistency. That means the Royal Mail providing a service they can rely on and at the moment they can't do that," said Steve Hughes, economic policy adviser for the BCC.