There can be no doubt that the Post Office scandal was one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history. I share the deep dismay at what has happened and the need for proper accountability and, if necessary, dismissals and prosecutions.
It is right that the Post Office should be held to account where it has fallen short. The Government has established a statutory inquiry to consider whether the Post Office has learned its lessons and to provide an independent and external assessment of its work to rebuild relationships.
I was delighted by the Prime Minister’s pledge that a new, emergency law is to be introduced, within weeks, amounting to a blanket overturning of convictions tied to the faulty Horizon IT system. The aim is that by the end of the year, all wrongfully convicted sub postmasters will be exonerated and victims will then be able to claim compensation so that they may start to rebuild their lives.
The public inquiry into the affair is set to resume this week with the Post Office claiming it aims to get to “the truth of what went wrong”. Meanwhile, it is right that former Post Office boss Paula Vennells has handed back her CBE, now, rather than waiting for the end of the inquiry, thus maintaining the integrity of the honours system.
I will continue to pay close attention to the Government's response to this matter, given the extent of the scandal and its impact on so many innocent people.
