Post Office scandal: Rishi Sunak would ‘strongly support’ review of ex-boss’ CBE
Rishi Sunak would “strongly support” a review of ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells’ CBE if the honours committee chose to look into it, No10 has said.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said he would back the Honours Forfeiture Committee if it opted to consider removing her honour amid the Horizon Fujitsu scandal.
Sunak’s spokesman said: “The Prime Minister shares the public’s feeling of outrage on this issue. He would strongly support the Forfeiture Committee if it chose to review the case. It is a decision for the committee, rather than the government.”
He also hinted that the government may look to hold Fujitsu liable for compensation but said no action would be taken – including on preventing the firm applying for other government tenders – until the ongoing publis inquiry had concluded.
“It should not be the taxpayer alone which picks up the tab for Horizon compensation,” the spokesman said.
Just days ago the Japanese tech business was awarded a new contract to provide flood warning systems, at a total value of almost £20m.
It comes as a petition for former businesswoman and ex-priest Vennells to lose her gong – awarded in 2018 for service to the Post Office and to charity – hit one million signatures.
The Forfeiture Committee, led by former top civil servant Sir Chris Womack, is responsible for assessing whether honours recipients have brought the system into disrepute.
Fresh calls for justice and compensation for the sub-postmasters and postmistresses caught up in the crisis emerged following the airing of ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
It dramatised the widespread miscarriage of justice which saw innocent men and women accused of fraud thanks to faulty accounting software, Horizon, by Fujitsu, with some imprisoned, left bankrupt and even taking their own lives.
Vennells has previously said she is “truly sorry” for the “suffering” of those wrongly convicted.
Speaking at a PM Connect event in Lancashire earlier today, Sunak also defended the government’s response and said compensation processes should be happening faster.
He said: “We will do everything we can to make this right for the people affected. It is simply wrong what happened, they shouldn’t have been treated like this.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for all convictions to be revisited; for the government to pass legislation on the matter; and for cases to go to the Court of Appeal.
The former chief prosecutor also argued for removing the prosecuting role from the Post Office – which brought the historic private prosecutions – and transferring it to the independent Crown Prosecution Service (CPS); and for compensation to be speeded up.