Sunak would ‘strongly support’ review of ex-Post Office chief’s CBE amid calls for mass exonerations – latest

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Rishi Sunak said the Post Office Horizon scandal was an “appalling miscarriage of justice”

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Rishi Sunak would “strongly support” the body that reviews honours if it decided to look at revoking former Post Office boss Paula Vennells’ CBE in the wake of the Horizon scandal.

There have been growing calls for the former Post Office chief executive to hand back her CBE after an ITV drama returned the widespread miscarriage of justice to the spotlight.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said Mr Sunak would “strongly support” the forfeiture committee “if they were to choose to investigate”.

Earlier, a former Conservative cabinet minister said all workers wrongly convicted in the scandal should be exonerated because each of their cases is linked to “one single lie”.

Sir David Davis, a senior Tory MP, is planning to raise the issue in the Commons as MPs return from the Christmas holidays and has called for an emergency debate.

“All of the cases depend on one single lie, and that is nobody but the postmasters and mistresses could access their computers,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme earlier.

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It would be ‘sensible and reasonable’ for Vennells to hand back CBE, says Hollinrake

It would be “sensible and reasonable” for Paula Vennells to hand back her CBE, business minister Kevin Hollinrake said.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Hollinrake clarified his position on the former Post Office boss’s honour, stating: “Just to be absolutely clear, I’m not attain(ing) the position we should remove the CBE.”

He added: “As a former CEO of this critical period, I think it would be clear, where the Post Office failed in so many different areas, in so many shocking ways, I think it would be sensible and reasonable for the CEO to hand back an honour that was given for services to the Post Office.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 21:471704746507

Goverment must consider how to quash convictions without legal wrangling, says Miller

Conservative former cabinet minister Dame Maria Miller told the Commons: “Now is the time for the Government to consider how all convictions that relied on evidence from the Horizon system, which must now be seen as unsafe, could be quashed without victims having to endure further legal wrangling.”

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “I share her ambition. Ideally we would like a process that does not require a convicted postmaster to come forward, something we could do across the board – that’s exactly what we’re looking at, and I hope to have some news for her in the coming days.”

Speaking elsewhere in the session, he said: “An immediate overturning (of) convictions is something we’re looking to achieve as soon as possible, if that is possible, clearly subject to the caveats I said earlier in my remarks.

“Despite what clearly the Post Office has done itself, I think most members of the public still look at the Post Office… the network, with great admiration.”

He added: “I do not believe it’s a damaged brand. But it’s absolutely right that the postmasters have a much better relationship now between… the central management at the Post Office and the network itself. Much work has happened in that area.”

Conservative former minister Sir Edward Leigh, in an apparent swipe at Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey who was formerly a minister with responsibility for the Post Office, said: “I think it’s reprehensible that at least one of my successors is trying to dodge the bullet in this way, just say ‘I was given the wrong advice’.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 20:411704745532

Ministers told to consider life sentences in prison for those found responsible

Ministers were told they should consider life sentences in prison for those found ultimately responsible for the Horizon scandal.

Labour former minister Barry Gardiner told the Commons: “The minister said this is not just about compensation, it is about restoration, and that is true. But is it not also about misfeasance in public office? So will the minister confirm that the maximum penalty for a public servant who willingly and knowingly acts in a manner that results in harm, injury or financial loss to an innocent party is life imprisonment?”

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake replied: “I have dealt with a number of different scandals over the years from the backbench as well as in my ministerial role here and I think it happens all too often at a corporate level for us to simply carry on in the way we have done in the past.

“So I am very much happy to take away his points in terms of the potential penalty for the offence he describes. That is something I will discuss with officials and others.”

Conservative former business minister Paul Scully, who used to oversee the Government’s efforts to deal with the Horizon scandal, urged his successor to “make sure that the judiciary allow a blanket quashing of all of the convictions”.

Tory former minister Dame Priti Patel meanwhile told Mr Hollinrake to “review the actions and accountability of Fujitsu, and with that the culpabilities as they are still awarded contracts week after week across Government”.

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 20:251704745033

Now is ‘perfect opportunity’ for Vennells to ‘voluntarily’ hand back CBE, says Hollinrake

Postal Affairs minister Kevin Hollinrake said he thinks now is the “perfect opportunity” for former Post Office boss Paula Vennells to “voluntarily” hand back her CBE.

He said the inquiry first has to “assign blame”. However, he added: “At this point in time, I think it would be clear where Post Office failed in so many areas, in so many shocking ways – I think it would be sensible and reasonable to give back the honour that was given for service in the Post Office.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 20:171704744641

‘We need to get compensation out the door as quickly as possible,’ says Labour ex-minister

Labour former minister Kevan Jones, who is part of the Horizon compensation advisory board, said: “The key thing now, and as Alan Bates said at the weekend, is we need to get compensation out the door as quickly as possible.”

He also said: “All the 927 convictions do need quashing.”

On the pre-Horizon pilot scheme, Mr Jones said: “Can we get this bottomed out very quickly to find out how many cases there are, how many were prosecuted – I know of at least two – so we can get justice for these individuals as well?”

Mr Hollinrake said: “We believe they’re still covered by the compensation scheme … we want to make sure those people have been reached out to.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 20:101704744409

Ministers have discussed ‘at length’ the possibility of a Bill to quash convictions

Ministers have discussed “at length” the possibility of bringing a Bill to Parliament to quash the convictions of subpostmasters caught up in the Horizon scandal, Kevin Hollinrake said.

Conservative former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland told the Commons: “This is an unprecedented set of circumstances and in my judgment it requires an unprecedented approach. That should be legislation on the floor of this House to deal with the convictions of this huge class of people who are not just not guilty, they are victims themselves.

“Can I urge upon him and the Lord Chancellor to look urgently at the question of legislation that I know will be supported in this House to create a presumption of innocence that will cut the Gordian Knot and support the victims and their families who are enduring this horror for too long?”

Business minister Mr Hollinrake replied: “This situation is unprecedented. Certainly legislation on the floor of the House is something we discussed at length today in a meeting with the Lord Chancellor and officials.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 20:061704744316

Davis suggests there should be criminal prosecutions for ‘real villains’ of Horizon scandal

Conservative former minister Sir David Davis suggested there should be criminal prosecutions for the “real villains” of the Horizon scandal.

He told the Commons: “The Government needs to do four things. It needs: to stop the Post Office unnecessarily challenging the victims’ appeals and find a more rapid method to exonerate all of the innocent victims; to instruct the Post Office to stop hiring expensive lawyers to challenge the compensations claims and therefore to accelerate the payment mechanism; to strip away the Post Office’s right to police its own cases; and to accelerate the investigatory procedures prior to criminal prosecutions of the real villains in this case – which of course are, well, we know who they are.

“Does the minister believe he can achieve those four aims in months rather than years?”

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake replied: “I can assure him on all four counts. Yes, we want a more rapid means of overturning convictions. Yes, we want to make sure the Post Office doesn’t challenge unfairly any attempt to overturn convictions. Yes, in terms of making sure the investigatory process happens more quickly.”

Mr Hollinrake also said the compensation schemes are not being “policed or restricted” by the Post Office.

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 20:051704743733

Hollinrake expects to update MPs about government’s further proposals by end of week

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said he expects by the end of this week to update MPs about the Government’s further proposals to help those affected by the Horizon scandal.

Responding to the SNP, Mr Hollinrake said: “I’m sorry I can’t be a little more precise in my timescales but I’d be very disappointed if we went past the end of this week in terms of giving more information to the House.”

SNP business spokeswoman Marion Fellows earlier said Post Office executives should repay their bonuses.

She said subpostmasters had paid back shortfalls to the Post Office, noting: “All this money did go back to Post Office Ltd, enhanced their profits on which many bonuses over the years were paid to Post Office executives and could we have pressure put on those people to repay these bonuses?”

Mr Hollinrake replied: “Whether people repay bonuses or whatever else people are held accountable for, I think we should wait to be fair to the results of the inquiry.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 19:551704743657

Victims of Horizon pilot scheme must also receive compensation, says Labour

Victims of a Horizon pilot scheme must also receive compensation, Labour said.

Speaking in the Commons, shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, said: “Today I understand it has emerged that there are potentially dozens more victims from a pilot scheme. I myself have just learnt this afternoon from one of my constituents that they have only been informed very recently that they are a victim of this scandal.

“So can I ask the minister again, what steps the Government are taking to ensure every victim is identified and encouraged to come forward?”

In response, business minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “We want to make sure every single victim is properly covered by the various schemes, I’ve asked anybody who has evidence of any kind, including the right honorable member for North Durham (Kevan Jones), to furnish me with details and I’ll make sure we pick up anybody who’s left outside the schemes.”

Labour MP Mr Reynolds also said the honours handed out to those in charge of the Post Office during the scandal should be considered.

He said: “Those involved in the running of the Post Office, who have received honours, must be held to the high standard those honours demand. They will also have their opportunity to give their side of the story in the inquiry but if that evidence is unsatisfactory I would urge the forfeiture committee to consider the propriety of those honours and to take any further appropriate action.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 19:541704743556

Hollinrake: ‘It should not be taxpayer alone who picks up tab’

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake told the Commons: “We have been clear that it should not be the taxpayer alone who picks up the tab (for compensation).

“We will wait for the inquiry to report to make clear the extent (of) any other organisations’ culpability for the scandal and for any individual accountability.

“Our aim is to ensure that every victim is fully recompensed for their losses and the suffering they have had to endure.

“To date over £148 million has been paid to 2,700 victims across all compensation schemes. 93 convictions have been overturned, and of these 30 have agreed full and final settlements.

“Just over £30 million has been paid out in compensation to those with overturned convictions including interim payments.”

He added: “Retired High Court judge Sir Gary Hickinbottom has agreed to chair an independent panel that will assess the pecuniary losses of those postmasters with overturned convictions where disputes arise. This will bring independent oversight of compensation payments.”

Tara Cobham8 January 2024 19:52NewerOlder✕

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