Government officials have refuted allegations made by the previous Post Office chair that they deliberately delayed compensating victims of the Horizon scandal in order for the Conservative party to have a disadvantage in the general election.
In December 2022, Henry Staunton, who was fired by business secretary Kemi Badenoch last month in the midst of the Horizon scandal, stated that he received the request shortly after starting his role.
Furthermore, he claimed that Post Office CEO Nick Read attempted to discourage the government from implementing blanket exoneration measures for operators in January.
During an interview with the Sunday Times, Staunton, who is 75 years old, stated that the request to decrease compensation payouts seemed like an effort to lessen the government’s financial responsibility before the upcoming general election.
In the beginning, a higher-up advised me to delay spending on compensation and replacing Horizon, and to barely make it through the election. I made a written note of this instruction.
“It was not a matter of being against the postmaster, but simply a matter of financials. I chose not to inquire about it because I firmly stated, ‘I will not be involved in this – I am not here to barely make it through the election, that is not fair to postmasters.’ The use of the word ‘limp’ gives a glimpse into the situation they were facing.”
The government rejected Staunton’s assertion, stating that concrete goals were given to reach settlements. Additionally, they mentioned that compensation for victims has been expedited and postmasters have been encouraged to come forward with their claims. Any suggestion of contradicting actions or discussions is incorrect.
On Sunday, Badenoch vehemently denied dismissing Staunton by saying he needed to take blame for the Horizon controversy.
The business secretary referred to the account as containing false information and a dishonest depiction of their conversation. They stated they will consult with government attorneys and will not leave the issue unresolved.
She stated, “Rather than taking the blame, I removed Staunton from his position as chair of the Post Office. There were significant accusations regarding his behavior during his time as chair, including hindering an inquiry into said behavior. As the department in charge of protecting whistleblowers, I could not overlook these allegations.”
Henry Staunton struggled to obtain justice for postmasters, resulting in serious concerns about his behavior and ultimately leading me to request his resignation. His decision to turn to the media with fabricated stories and lies only confirms the validity of my choice.
When the House of Commons reconvenes this week, Jonathan Reynolds, the opposition’s business spokesperson, stated that Labour will be seeking explanations from government officials.
On X, he stated, “The accusations against the government regarding the Post Office’s management and treatment of those affected by the Horizon scandal are gravely concerning. We will be requesting answers when parliament reconvenes this week.”
The Post Office’s minister, Kevin Hollinrake, stated that during his 15 months in office, he did not face any opposition from other ministers or officials regarding their goal of clearing or providing fair compensation to postmasters impacted by the Horizon scandal.
The Home Office minister, Michael Tomlinson, stated on Times Radio that he does not acknowledge or acknowledge Staunton’s accusations.
“We are urging postmasters to step forward. We have passed a bill in the House of Commons that will allow for these payments to be made, and we are actively promoting this instead of anything else,” he stated. “I do not see anything that contradicts this.”
Over 900 postal workers were charged with theft due to inaccurate data from the Horizon computer system, resulting in what has been deemed the largest injustice in British history.
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Approximately £140 million has been distributed as compensation up to this point. However, numerous victims have reported experiencing delays and have criticized the scheme for being overly bureaucratic.
According to reports, Staunton, who used to be the chairman of WH Smith, claimed that Read had written to the Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, last month in an effort to dissuade the government from carrying out widespread exonerations.
Staunton informed the Sunday Times that the letter contained a legal viewpoint from the solicitors of the Post Office, Peters & Peters. The opinion stated that numerous convictions could potentially be justified in a court of appeal.
He stated, “The intention was to discredit the argument of exoneration. It suggested that the reason most people have not come forward is because they are actually guilty as charged. This serves as a reminder to carefully consider the concept of exoneration.”
Staunton stated that he informed Read that the views expressed in the letter did not have his endorsement or the support of “at least half” of the Post Office’s board members. He also warned that if this information were to be revealed, they would face severe backlash, and rightfully so.
A spokesperson from the Post Office refuted claims made by the Sunday Times that the letter was attempting to sway the government’s decisions.
Government officials have moved forward with urgent laws that will eliminate any Post Office convictions connected to Horizon.
A representative from the Post Office stated: “We are fully aware of the devastating consequences of this shocking scandal and wrongful conviction. We deny the claims made against us and the reported language used, and are committed to assisting the government’s efforts for swifter justice and compensation for those affected. No one at the Post Office is exempt from the investigation.”
Source: theguardian.com
