Royal Mail could face fine after missing delivery targets

Royal Mail said it was "actively modernising" and beginning to see results, but added that there was "still more to do".

The company has already faced a combined £16m fine for falling short of its service obligations over the previous two years.

Ofcom has launched an investigation after almost a quarter of first-class post arrived late in the past year. The 98.5% target for second-class post was also missed, with just 92.2% delivered within the required three days.

Royal Mail could be fined by regulators after failing to meet delivery targets.

Under Ofcom rules, 93% of first-class mail must be delivered within one working day of collection, excluding Christmas.

Royal Mail said just 76.3% arrived within this window in the year to March 2025, a slim improvement on last year, when it was 74.5%.

In a statement, Ofcom said: "If we determine that Royal Mail has failed to comply with its obligations, we will consider whether to impose a financial penalty."

A first-class stamp now costs £1.70, having gone up in price for the sixth time in three years.

Royal Mail chief operating officer Alistair Cochrane said: "Our quality of service is not yet where we want it to be and we will continue to work hard to deliver the standards our customers expect.

He also reiterated Royal Mail's long-held stance that its one-price-goes-anywhere universal service obligation (USO) needs reform.

Under the USO, the company is required by law to deliver letters six days a week and parcels five days a week to every address in the UK.

In January, Ofcom proposed that Royal Mail only deliver second-class letters every other weekday - and not on Saturdays - to protect the future of the UK's postal industry.

Responding to the delivery target figures, Citizens Advice said: "Royal Mail's quality of service targets should be there to protect customers, but the company is still getting away with hiking stamp prices while failing to deliver post on time."

Tom MacInnes, director of policy, added: "With Ofcom considering relaxing the current delivery targets set for Royal Mail as part of the universal service obligation review, reliability remains a huge concern.

"The regulator must get off the sidelines and make the company do what it should've been doing all along - giving paying customers the service they deserve."

In April, shareholders cleared the sale of Royal Mail's parent company, International Distribution Services, to a Czech billionaire.

The approval of the £3.6bn deal, first proposed a year ago, will see the 500-year institution taken over by Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group.

‘It’s wild’: Myles Smith on his meteoric year since Big Weekend

4 hours ago Share Save Louise Parry BBC News, Bedfordshire Share Save

Kian Boyle/BBC Myles said it was a "proper emotional day" when he performed at the Big Weekend in Luton last May

A year ago, Myles Smith stood on the BBC Introducing stage at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in his home town of Luton. Performing his newly-released single Stargazing, he could not imagine how the song – and his musical career – would take off.

Since then, the 26-year-old won the Rising Star Brit Award, nailed the best-selling British song of 2024, toured the world and made the Time 100 list of influential people. He is back on the Big Weekend main stage in Liverpool this Saturday, before playing Glastonbury, Wembley and supporting Ed Sheeran later this summer. "It's wild," he told the BBC. "Main stage at Big Weekend is huge for me - it's one of those pinch-me moments. "I'm just trying to take it all in and enjoy the ride."

Theo Batterham Myles has visited 17 countries during his 2025 We Were Never Strangers tour

In June he will appear alongside stars including Mariah Carey and Will Smith at the Capital Summer Ball at Wembley Stadium, then in July he joins Ed Sheeran for one of his homecoming gigs at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich. "Ed's been such a big influence on me growing up. To share a stage with him, especially in a place that's important to him, it's an honour." Myles recalls the "surreal" feeling of playing in his own home county last May. "I remember walking out on to that stage and just thinking, how is this real? "To be able to play Big Weekend at home, in front of people who've supported me from the beginning - it felt like everything had come full circle. "Proper emotional day. I don't think I'll ever forget it."

Sam McMohn "I'm proof that you don't have to come from a big city or a fancy school to make it work," says Myles

Stargazing became the sound of the summer, streamed more than one billion times and even featuring on former US President Barack Obama's playlist. "You always hope people connect with a song, but Stargazing just seemed to take on a life of its own," Myles says. What is it about the song that resonates with people? "I think it's the honesty in it - everyone's either been through heartbreak or held on to hope when they probably shouldn't have. "It's simple, but it's real. And I think people felt that." A bigger surprise came in April 2025, as he was included in Time 100's list of most influential people, alongside Serena Williams, Mark Zuckerberg and Snoop Dogg. "That one caught me off guard. I never imagined I'd end up in it. It's mad. "I think I just felt really grateful, you know? To be recognised on that level for doing something I love."

Reuters Myles was listed as a "pioneer" in the top 100 influential people in Time Magazine

Myles admits his life has changed "massively" in the past year. "Eighteen months ago, I was still figuring a lot of things out," he said. "Now I'm touring, releasing music that's reaching people all over the world, meeting heroes of mine. "But at the same time, I'm still just me. Still grounded in the same values. Still got the same people around me." That is at the heart of how Myles is keeping it together while being thrown into the limelight. "I try to stay close to my people. My family, my team, my friends - they keep me level. "And I write. Even if it's not for a song, just getting stuff out helps. "And when I can, I get home. There's something about being back in Luton that resets everything for me."

Kian Boyle/BBC Myles says Luton, where he performed at Big Weekend last year, "has always been home"

Myles remembers "a few moments" growing up that helped to build him into the musician he is today. "I had a music teacher who really believed in me - and my mum, always pushing me to keep going, even when I wasn't sure. "I used to play little open mics, local gigs when I could find them. Nothing glamorous, but those nights taught me a lot." "Luton's always been home. It shaped me."

What would he say to young musicians growing up in Luton? "Don't wait for permission. If you love it, do it. Write the songs, upload them, play the gigs - no matter how small. "Keep going even when it feels like no-one's listening, because someone will. "I'm proof that you don't have to come from a big city or a fancy school to make it work. You've just got to stay honest and consistent."

Theo Blatter Connecting with people is "the best part" of his career, Myles says

With his new EP - A Minute, A Moment - released this weekend, he says "there's loads I'm excited about – more music, more touring". "But honestly, I'm just looking forward to connecting with more people. That's always been the best part of this. "And maybe, if I'm lucky, a bit of time to breathe and take it all in."

Top-order batter Shubman Gill has been named the new Test captain of the India men's team.

The 25-year-old succeeds Rohit Sharma as captain, with the 38-year-old having retired from Test cricket earlier this month.

Gill, who has scored 1,893 runs in 32 Tests, will lead a depleted India team in a five-Test tour of England starting on 20 June.

Veteran seamer Mohammed Shami was left out of the squad following a late injury setback, although he played in the Indian Premier League.

Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been named Gill's deputy in the Test squad.

India Test squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Druv Jurel , Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

Russia launches major aerial attack on Ukraine capital

At least 14 people have been injured in a major Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv, city authorities say.

Russia launched 250 drones and 14 ballistic missiles against Kyiv, Ukraine's air force said, causing fires in residential buildings. It was one of the biggest combined aerial assaults on the city since the war began. The air force said it had downed six missiles and 245 drones.

"With each such attack, the world becomes more certain that the cause of prolonging the war lies in Moscow," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

The barrage came hours after Russia and Ukraine took part in a prisoner swap agreed after talks between the two countries' officials in Turkey.

King's big moment in Canada after Trump row

10 hours ago Share Save Sean Coughlan Royal correspondent Share Save

Reuters The King is visiting Canada after President Trump said it should be part of the US

"This is a big deal for the King to do this," says Jeremy Kinsman, former Canadian high commissioner to the UK, as King Charles prepares for a historic visit showing support for Canada, which is facing pressure from US President Donald Trump. "I hope that Trump understands," says Mr Kinsman, ahead of the King becoming the first monarch to open Canada's Parliament in almost 70 years. So what can we expect from his speech as Canada's head of state, to be delivered in French and English in Ottawa on Tuesday? It will be written on the advice of Canada's government. But along with the workaday lines on policy plans, Mr Kinsman expects a message, loud and clear, that Canada will not be the US 51st state.

Reuters Prime Minister Mark Carney told President Trump that Canada wasn't for sale

"It's going to be very affirmative of Canadian sovereignty. And I can say personally that it's something that King Charles will celebrate saying. I have no doubt," says Mr Kinsman, who worked as a diplomat with the King when he was Prince of Wales. "It will say the government will protect, pursue and preserve the sovereignty of Canada as an independent state," he predicts about the speech, which follows an election won by Mark Carney on a wave of anti-Trump sentiment. The King's mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, was the last monarch to open Canada's Parliament in 1957 and was also the most recent to deliver the "speech from the throne" in 1977, in a ceremony that marks the start of a parliamentary session. She began that speech with a few of her own personal comments - so there is scope for the King to add his own thoughts. "I don't know what pronoun they'll use. He'll be talking about the 'government proposes'. But I don't know if they'll throw in an "I". Either way he'll be identified with it," says Mr Kinsman about the personal nature of this speech from the King in Canada - a Commonwealth country and Nato partner. It's going to be a more dressed-down event than the pomp of the Westminster state opening of Parliament. The King will be in a suit rather than a gown and crown, reading a speech that could last about 25 minutes, much of which will be about the government's legislative plans. There are also likely to be nods to the importance of Canada's First Nations communities, in a speech that comes on the first visit to Canada from King Charles and Queen Camilla since the start of their reign. The King, invited by Mr Carney, will have to balance a message of solidarity with Canada, without jeopardising the UK's relationship with the US. "The King has long experience and great skill in walking that diplomatic tightrope," says a royal source. "He's held in high regard around the globe and across the political spectrum, with good relations with world leaders who understand his unique position."

PA Media Queen Elizabeth II flew back on Concorde after her 1977 visit to Canada

Watch: What do Canadians make of the monarchy in the Trump era?

Mel Cappe, a former Canadian minister and senior civil servant, has been involved in preparing such speeches from the throne, usually delivered by a governor general. He expects the King to add a "few paragraphs of his own at the beginning" to "give his own personal view", but the overall text of the speech will be approved by Canada's prime minister and his officials. "He's not going to poke President Trump in the eye. That would cause a problem for Canada. On the other hand he isn't going to suck up to Donald Trump," says Prof Cappe, who was also a high commissioner to the UK. He believes this intervention could have a big impact: "Symbolically this is huge. President Trump has a lot of admiration for the monarchy. He is impressed by the royals." This royal moment will be a platform for Canada's government to talk about tariffs and to mention the visit to the White House where PM Carney said Canada would "never" be for sale, says Prof Cappe. "So somewhere in that speech, look for the word "never"," he says. President Trump, as shown in his recent controversial White House meetings with South Africa's President Ramaphosa and Ukraine's President Zelensky, can be an unpredictable diplomatic partner. "The old alliances are breaking down," says Mr Kinsman. And against a background of such uncertainty, King Charles has been part of an unexpected international balancing act. He became a key part of the charm offensive to maintain the UK's good relations with President Trump, with an invite for a second state visit. Now he's going with a message of reassurance to the Canadians. Sir Keir Starmer has been using the King to get closer to Trump, while Mark Carney is using him to keep Trump further away. "He isn't anybody's tool or fool. This is something that he believes… It genuinely is something that he wants," says Mr Kinsman about the King's support for Canada. The former diplomat remembers how much the then Prince Charles showed a personal affection for Canada and a sense of duty towards its people. A planned trip last year had to be cancelled because of his cancer diagnosis.

PA Media Keir Starmer gave President Trump an invitation from the King for a state visit

'I don't know what we'll do' - Vapers panic-buy ahead of disposables ban

7 hours ago Share Save Ruth Clegg Health and wellbeing reporter Share Save

Cara Hallinan Cara is stockpiling ahead of the ban and says she is hoping to buy enough disposable vapes to last her through the summer

Cara Hallinan says she and many of her friends are feeling very nervous about the looming disposable vape ban. In fact, she says: "I'm not sure what we are going to do." The 25-year-old took up vaping five years ago. One of her friends gave her a puff on theirs and that was it, she could finally wean herself off cigarettes. Cara says it was cherry fizz flavoured vapes which helped her quit her 20-a-day smoking habit, and now, as the ban looms, she's buying as many as she can before they become illegal to sell or supply across the UK. "I've been buying boxes of them from my local discount store. They're trying to get rid of them, so I've been getting ten vapes for £20." Cara says she's got about 40 vapes now, enough to last a few weeks, but she wants to stockpile enough to get her through the summer - because she's scared of going back to smoking.

Cara Hallinan Cara says she has been buying boxes of vapes from her local discount store and she will continue until the ban comes in

From 1 June, it will be illegal to buy or sell disposable vapes. Only devices considered to be reusable will be legal. They must have a rechargeable battery, a replaceable coil and be refillable. Cara understands there will still be a wide variety of vapes out there to buy, but she's not convinced they will work for her. "With everything else going on in my life, what if I forget to recharge my vape? And then I wake up one morning without a vape, or I run out of charge at work? "I'm used to the ease of being able to buy a disposable one when I need." Cara is one of more than three million ex-smokers who have made the switch from cigarettes to vapes over the past few years. While vapes are considered a healthier alternative to cigarettes, there are concerns that vaping provides a gateway into nicotine addiction - with disposable vapes enticing children and young people with their fruity flavours and cheap prices. Even though rechargeable vapes are the most popular, there are still around 30% of vapers who prefer to use disposable vapes.

"One of the big attractions is ease of use," Dan Marchant, owner of online retailer, Vape Club, and co-founder of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), says. "Buying a disposable vape is like buying a packet of cigarettes – just nip to the shop and get one over the counter." He says he's seen sales of the most popular flavours of vapes double over the past few weeks as some customers stock up. Another online retailer, Haypp, has also seen sales rise ahead of the ban. Haypp's scientific director, Dr Marina Murphy, said: "Daily sales are now regularly surpassing even our Black Friday peaks, which had previously been our biggest sales days." Some are worried about the change in taste. Disposable vapes tend to be sweeter than refillable vapes due to them often having more sweeteners and nicotine salts in the E-liquid.

'Smoker of the year award'

After 40 years of chain-smoking cigarettes, Baroness Claire Fox of Buckley says it was the strawberry and banana flavour disposable vapes that finally helped her quit. "They worked a treat and for the past 18 months I have been smoke-free." The 64-year-old peer admits it wasn't easy, but after being advised by two doctors to try vapes, she's gone from being the "proud winner of the smoker of the year award" to a life free from the harms of tobacco.

Andrew Firth Baroness Fox smoked for 40 years but says she finally stopped 18 months ago with the help of strawberry and banana flavoured disposable vapes

And now, she says, she is dreading 1 June when the disposable vape ban comes in. "I've been stocking up with stashes of brightly-coloured vape boxes both at home and at work. "The rechargables have a metallic, battery taste which I don't like." She says disposable vapes have had a "miraculous impact on smoking levels". "Finally, we have a smoking cessation device that works and we ban it - it's counter- productive and daft." The outspoken peer, who often berates legislation she sees as infringing civil liberties, says environmental concerns are clearly trumping public health concerns.

The UK government wants to reduce the impact on the environment – an estimated five million disposable vapes were thrown away every week last year – and cut the number of children and young people vaping. Health experts agree anyone who does not smoke should not start vaping, as it may cause long-term damage to lungs, hearts and brains.

A Censuswide poll, commissioned by Vape Club, asked 2,000 vapers across the UK how their habits were going to change in the wake of the ban next month. While 49% of people who use disposable vapes said they were going to switch to different types of rechargeable devices, and 16% said they were going to stop vaping altogether, it has also produced some "worrying results", Mr Marchant says. "We found that 11% said they were going to stockpile after the ban - by going abroad and buying from countries where disposables are sold legally and then bringing them back into the UK. "And more worryingly, 18% said if they couldn't get hold of disposable vapes they would go back to smoking after the ban comes in."

Ruth Clegg Nick says he's going to have to throw out £6,000 worth of disposable vapes when the ban comes in

This is something, Nick, who owns Mist Vapes, recognises, as he points to the local newsagent a few shops down the road in Whalley Range, south Manchester. "Many of my regular customers say they will stop vaping when the ban comes in, instead of coming here, they'll go to Booze and Cigs down the road and pick up a pack of cigarettes and go back to smoking." He is worried about the future of his business. He points to the rows of pastel-coloured boxes, lined up on shelves that cover a whole wall in his shop. There are popular flavours like pineapple ice, rainbow and blueberry sour. "They'll have to go," he says. "And that's nearly £6,000 worth of stock down the drain. "I only set up my business a year ago, so it's relatively new. I knew the ban was coming, but with 90% of my sales being disposable, I've had to keep on restocking." He believes the government has failed small retail shops like his own. "I don't think it's going to make much difference to vaping habits – many of the rechargeable vapes now look the same as the disposable, you can buy them pre-filled and charged." He turns one over – the only difference he says is the charging point at the bottom. "I'm selling the rechargeable at the same price but with less of a mark-up."

Ruth Clegg Nick says there is very little difference between the disposable and the refillable

Kneecap defiant at first major gig since terror charge

8 hours ago Share Save Paul Glynn Culture reporter Share Save

Getty Images

Kneecap fans turned out in force on Friday to support the Irish-language hip-hop trio at their biggest ever festival headline gig, which came just days after a band member was charged with a terror offence. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged by the Metropolitan Police for having allegedly displayed a flag in support of proscribed Lebanese organisation Hezbollah at a gig last year. The band denied the offence, calling it "political policing" and "a carnival of distraction" away from Gaza. Speaking on stage at the Wide Awake festival, the rapper - due to appear in court next month - said the authorites were "trying to silence us before Glastonbury" and urged fans to be "on the right side of history."

"I know we're out, we're enjoying ourselves and we're trying to listen to some tunes at a festival... believe me lads, I wish I didn't have to do this," he said at the south London event. "But the world's not listening. The world needs to see solidarity of 20,000 people in a park in London chanting, 'free free Palestine!'" The chant echoed out around Brixton's Brockwell Park. The UN said on Friday that Gaza was in the "cruellest phase" of war, with 9,000 trucks' worth of aid ready at the border for the Palestinian territory. "Let's remember how lucky we are to be in a field with our friends and not being bombed from the sky," Kneecap's frontman, who goes by the stage name Mo Chara, told the audience on Friday night. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the Palestinian group Hamas's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 53,762 people, including 16,500 children, have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Surprise gig after Kneecap member charged

Kneecap member charged with terror offence

Kneecap are no strangers to controversy, but is this time different?

Friday's concert - Kneecap's first big gig since the investigation was launched - followed a smaller "secret" set at London's 100 club the night before. It saw the band - comprised of Chara, Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin) and balaclava-wearing beatmaker DJ Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh) - rip through tracks from their acclaimed album Fine Art, which has seen a surge in streaming in recent weeks since the controversy began. This included a brand new track called The Recap which dropped online only hours earlier, and begins with a clip of a news report about the counter-terrorism investigation.

There were many fans with Irish and Palestinian flags and shirts on the night

Fans, many of whom were wearing Irish and Palestinian flags and shirts, bounced and sang along to their tracks which find the west Belfast act rapping in English and Irish about everything from drug-fuelled parties to Northern Ireland and Gaza. One such fan, Myrtle from Brighton, told BBC News she agreed with the band's views on Gaza. "I think it's amazing. I think they're completely right," she said. "Imagine in a few years if we get to a state where it's [even worse] and you can't say that you've been on the right side of history and you've not made an effort to make that change, how do you not feel guilty?" She added: "Obviously it's led to one of them being charged with a terror offence which is awful, but it's brought more attention to the politics behind it." The gig culminated in rousing renditions of Kneecap songs Get Your Brits out and H.O.O.D, with the band encouraging fans to bellow out the Irish Republican slogan "Tiocfaidh ár lá", which translates as "our day will come". Brixton resident John told us outside the gig: "At best they're naive, at worst they're apologists for violence." "Do they really know what Ireland was like before the Good Friday Agreement?" he asked. Another fan who lives in Orkney, Gwen, told us she had first come across Kneecap "by accident" when her sister told her about the band's now Bafta-winning film. She lived in a kibbutz in Israel when she was younger. "I've spent a lot of time in Israel, and I've had a lovely experience with Israeli people, and I've met Palestinian people in Israel," she explained. "And the main thing that resonated with me when I was in Israel was that most people on the ground just kind of want peace. They don't like living with the constant fear of terror." She said she "loved Kneecap even more" when they "started putting their light on Gaza". Speaking at the Ivor Novello awards a day earlier, the composer of Kneecap's semi-autobiographical biopic, Michael "Mikey J" Asante, told the BBC's Mark Savage: "I haven't really spoken to them, it's all pretty new - but more than anything else there's the notion of freedom of expression. "It will all work out how it needs to. So you leave the people who have the information to make the right decisions." Ó hAnnaidh seemed unconcerned about the law on the night, joking with fans that they would have to write to him in jail while asking them to get their "grannies to light a wee candle for me".

Reuters Kneecap (l-r): Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), DJ Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh) and Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin)

To their many fans, Kneecap are relatable, hedonistic provocateurs, mixing rapid-fire anti-establishment lyrics that aim to give a voice to the oppressed with danceable bass-heavy beats. To their critics they are dangerous upstarts who have now gone too far. During an incendiary performance at the Coachella music festival in California last month, they described Israel's military action in Gaza as a US-funded genocide. As a result, they have been called antisemitic and "terrorist sympathisers". Then in the UK, historic footage from two of their gigs was assessed by counter-terrorism police. One appeared to show a band member shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" - both groups are banned in the UK and it is a crime to express support for them - while another video allegedly showed them calling for Conservative MPs to be killed. Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox but claimed footage of the incident had been taken out of context and "exploited and weaponised", adding they had have "never supported" Hamas or Hezbollah. They repeated the claim they were "being made an example of" on stage on Friday.

Getty Images

Organisers of Friday's Brixton event confirmed in a statement earlier this month that the gig would go ahead after they had held "positive discussions with key stakeholders". "Wide Awake Festival has a proud history of supporting the alternative music scene and we look forward to staging another unforgettable event showcasing the very best emerging and established talent," they said. But other Kneecap gigs have been cancelled in the wake of the controversy, including their sets at the Eden Project in Cornwall and Plymouth Pavilions. Police Scotland have said that allowing them to perform at the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow next month will require "a significant policing operation". Some politicians including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch have called for Kneecap to be banned and Commons Leader Lucy Powell has said the group should not be allowed to perform at Glastonbury next month, where they are listed for the Saturday. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh is due to appear in court a week before the festival begins. Artists including CMAT, Massive Attack and Primal Scream as well as Paul Weller and DJ Annie Mac have all publicly defended Kneecap, saying the powers-that-be are "strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band" while ignoring the situation in Gaza.