A Newquay card retailer is demanding MPs get involved to stop ‘draconian’ changes to postal services.

Kate Malt, the founder of Love Kate’s is backing a petition from the UK’s Greeting Card Association to force greater parliamentary scrutiny of changes to the postal service - after Ofcom confirmed it’s planning to allow Royal Mail to slash the second-class post.

The petition is being promoted by the businesses that make up the UK’s diverse £1.5 billion card industry including retailers, publishers, printers and designers.

Ofcom confirmed it had begun a consultation that would lead to cutbacks in the second-class service, giving the green light to Royal Mail’s premature trials to end Saturday second class delivery in over 30 locations from February.

Even though Ofcom has not irrevocably agreed to any permanent changes to Royal Mail’s legal obligations under the USO, those pilots will begin reducing second class delivery to every other weekday, Monday to Friday, meaning deliveries two or three days each alternate week.

The pilots will impact over a million households and small businesses, reducing their second class post service ahead of any formal change to the USO.

Royal Mail raised the price of a first class stamp in October last year from £1.35 to £1.65, which was a 22 per cent increase and the fifth hike in less than three years.

A first class stamp is now almost twice the price of a second class stamp, which remains affordable at 85p because it has the protection of being pegged to inflation by regulator Ofcom.

Royal Mail and Ofcom have reportedly made no secret of the fact their proposals need no intervention from government before implementation, bypassing parliamentary scrutiny.

Kate said: "These proposals will impact small businesses like mine and millions of customers who demand a Royal Mail service that’s national, reliable and affordable.

"It’s time for MPs to get involved and stop this spiral of decline which could ultimately result in Royal Mail calling time on an affordable second-class stamp and increase costs for businesses and consumers alike.

"If they don’t, we’ll be left with a premium, uncapped, unregulated first-class stamp beyond financial reach."