Yahoo News Sunak would ‘strongly support’ review of ex-Post Office chief’s CBE amid calls for mass exonerations – latest
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.
Key Points
Sunak: I would back review of ex-boss’s CBE
It would be ‘sensible and reasonable’ for Vennells to hand back CBE, says Hollinrake
New independent panel to look at compensation, minister announces
Victims demand faster compensation payments
PM says victims could be exonerated
Petition for Post Office boss to lose CBE hits one million
It would be ‘sensible and reasonable’ for Vennells to hand back CBE, says Hollinrake
Monday 8 January 2024 21:47 , Tara Cobham
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.”
Goverment must consider how to quash convictions without legal wrangling, says Miller
Monday 8 January 2024 20:41 , Tara Cobham
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’.”
Ministers told to consider life sentences in prison for those found responsible
Monday 8 January 2024 20:25 , Tara Cobham
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”.
Now is ‘perfect opportunity’ for Vennells to ‘voluntarily’ hand back CBE, says Hollinrake
Monday 8 January 2024 20:17 , Tara Cobham
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.”
‘We need to get compensation out the door as quickly as possible,’ says Labour ex-minister
Monday 8 January 2024 20:10 , Tara Cobham
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.”
Ministers have discussed ‘at length’ the possibility of a Bill to quash convictions
Monday 8 January 2024 20:06 , Tara Cobham
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.”
Davis suggests there should be criminal prosecutions for ‘real villains’ of Horizon scandal
Monday 8 January 2024 20:05 , Tara Cobham
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.
Hollinrake expects to update MPs about government’s further proposals by end of week
Monday 8 January 2024 19:55 , Tara Cobham
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.”
Victims of Horizon pilot scheme must also receive compensation, says Labour
Monday 8 January 2024 19:54 , Tara Cobham
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.”
Hollinrake: ‘It should not be taxpayer alone who picks up tab’
Monday 8 January 2024 19:52 , Tara Cobham
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.”
Securing justice and ensuring ‘tragedy’ never happens again is ‘highest priority’, says Hollinrake
Monday 8 January 2024 19:51 , Tara Cobham
Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said securing justice for the victims of the Horizon scandal and ensuring such a “tragedy” can never happen again is his “highest priority as a minister”.
Making a statement in the Commons, he said: “Watching last week’s ITV programme has only reinforced our zeal for seeing justice done as quickly as possible. We are already a long way down that road.”
He added: “Full and final compensation has already been paid to 64% of those people affected.”
He told MPs: “Getting justice for the victims of this scandal and ensuring that such a tragedy can never happen again is my highest priority as a minister and has been throughout my 15 months in office.”
Hollinrake says way private prosecutions used by Post Office must be examined
Monday 8 January 2024 19:48 , Tara Cobham
Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said there is a need to examine the way in which private prosecutions were used by the Post Office and said he was confident the Justice Secretary would give the issue “proper and thoughtful consideration”.
Mr Hollinrake told the Commons: “There is clearly great concern about the role of the Post Office in prosecuting these cases. The Post Office quite rightly decided to stop undertaking private prosecutions in 2015.
“If we are to make sure that a scandal like this can never happen again we need to look at the way in which private prosecutions like these have been undertaken.
“Any company can bring private prosecutions in this way, this is not a special power of the Post Office.
“I know (Justice Secretary Alex Chalk) wants to give this issue proper and thoughtful consideration and I am sure he will report to the House about this issue in due course.”
Government has options for resolving criminal convictions ‘with much more pace’
Monday 8 January 2024 19:47 , Tara Cobham
The Government has devised options for resolving outstanding criminal convictions for subpostmasters affected by the Horizon scandal “with much more pace”, business minister Kevin Hollinrake told the Commons.
The minister with responsibility for the Post Office said he had a “very positive meeting” with Justice Secretary Alex Chalk earlier on Monday.
He said: “All of us on these benches and across the House are united in our desire to see justice done.
“We have devised some options for resolving the outstanding criminal convictions with much more pace.
“(The Justice Secretary) will quite rightly need to speak to senior figures in the judiciary about these options before we put them forward.
“But I am confident that we should be able to implement measures which address the concerns expressed by the advisory board, and I hope the Government shall be able to announce these proposals to the House very shortly.”
Perfectly reasonable to ask ex-Post Office chief to hand back CBE, says minister
Monday 8 January 2024 19:46 , Tara Cobham
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake told the Commons that it is “perfectly reasonable” to ask the former Post Office boss to hand back her CBE after this had gone “so badly wrong”. But the minister added: “But that’s a matter for the person concerned.”
Downing Street earlier said Rishi Sunak would "strongly support" an honours committee if it chose to look into revoking Paula Vennells's CBE in the wake of the Horizon scandal.
Post Office minister wants wrongful convictions to be overturned this year
Monday 8 January 2024 19:27 , Tara Cobham
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake has said he wants all wrongful convictions to be overturned by the end of this year.
When asked about his timeframe for when justice would be served, he said: “Yes, absolutely this year we want to see these issues be resolved.”
He said he also wanted all compensation payments to be given by August.
However, he did caveat: “Not all of this is within our control.”
New independent panel to look at compensation, minister announces
Monday 8 January 2024 19:21 , Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake has announced that Sir Gary Hickinbottom has agreed to chair an independent panel to look at compensation for Horizon scandal victims.
The Tory minister said the new panel “will assess the pecuniary losses of those postmasters with overturned convictions, where disputes arise”, adding that it would bring “oversight”.
Mr Hollirake said: “Together, we stand united, not just in memory of those who have suffered, but in shared purpose … to ensure that such a tragedy can never – and will never – be allowed to happen again.”
Tory ministers have ‘devised options’ for overturning more convictions
Monday 8 January 2024 19:19 , Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent
Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake said the government had “devised some options for resolving the outstanding criminal convictions much more quickly” in the Horizon scandal.
But he did not reveal whether there would be any legislation, or whether the Post Office would be stripped of prosecuting rule. Mr Hollinrake only told the Commons that he and the justice secretary Alex Chalk would “need to speak to senior figures in the judiciary about those options before we put them forward”.
Saying he was “confident” some changes would come to speed up exonerations, he added: “I hope that the government shall be able to announce these proposals to the House in due course.”
Government ‘unwavering in resolve’ to tackle problem, insists Hollinrake
Monday 8 January 2024 19:16 , Tara Cobham
The government is “unwavering in its resolve” to tackle the problem, Postal Affairs Minister Kevin Hollinrake has insisted.
He said: “While the scale of the problem is immense, the government is unwavering in its resolve to tackle it, to compensate those affected, and to leave no stone unturned in its pursuit of justice.”
Describing the scandal as a “tragic miscarriage of justice”, he concluded by asserting that the House of Commons stands “united to ensure such a tragedy can never, and will never, happen again.”
Hollinrake: ‘This is not just about compensation but also about restoration'
Monday 8 January 2024 19:12 , Tara Cobham
Postal Affairs Minister Kevin Hollinrake has emphasised the importance of restoration alongside compensation.
He highlighted the need to restore the names of those wrongly accused as well as the public’s trust.
He said: “It is only right to get to the bottom of what went wrong, of who knew what, when.”
Government’s primary concern is getting compensation for those waiting, says Hollinrake
Monday 8 January 2024 19:03 , Tara Cobham
Postal Affairs Minister Kevin Hollinrake has said the ITV drama about the scandal has “reinforced our zeal for seeing justice is done as quickly as possible”.
He said the government has already paid compensation to 64 per cent of those affected, with his primary concern now being getting compensation for those still waiting.
Postal Affairs Minister gives statement in Commons
Monday 8 January 2024 18:59 , Tara Cobham
Postal Affairs Minister Kevin Hollinrake is giving a statement in the House of Commons.
He began by thanking those involved in bringing the scandal to light.
Post Office hero Alan Bates fights back tears over surprise gift from Richard Branson
Monday 8 January 2024 18:45 , Tara Cobham
Alan Bates, the former subpostmaster who brought the Post Office to its knees, became visibly emotional after being surprised with a luxury holiday by Sir Richard Branson.
Bates, 69, and his long-term partner Suzanne Sercombe appeared on Monday’s episode (8 January) of This Morning to discuss the Post Office scandal and ITV’s new four-part drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office.
In 1999, hundreds of subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting after the Post Office’s IT system (Horizon, developed by Fujitsu) incorrectly reported cash shortfalls across branches in the country.
Maanya Sachdeva reports:
Post Office hero Alan Bates fights back tears over surprise gift from Richard Branson
Sunak would ‘strongly’ back honours probe into ex-Post Office boss’s CBE
Monday 8 January 2024 18:30 , Tara Cobham
Rishi Sunak would “strongly support” the body which reviews honours if it decided to look at revoking former Post Office boss Paula Vennells’ CBE in the wake of the Horizon IT scandal.
There have been growing calls grow for the former Post Office chief executive to hand back her CBE after an ITV drama returned the miscarriage of justice to the spotlight.
The PM’s official spokesman said that Mr Sunak would “strongly support” the forfeiture committee “if they were to choose to investigate”.
Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent reports:
Sunak would ‘strongly’ back honours probe into ex-Post Office boss’s CBE
Tory MPs urge Sunak to use legislation to exonerate Post Office staff
Monday 8 January 2024 18:15 , Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent
Senior Tory David Davis urged the government to push for mass exonerations soon, using legislation if necessary. “All of the cases depend on one single lie,” the former minister told the BBC earlier. “I see no real reason why you can’t have a mass case on that basis.”
Former justice secretary Robert Buckland also now called for legislation to deal with all the cases together. “I think the government does have space in which it can make some moves here,” he told Politico.
Mr Buckland also told Times Radio: “We shouldn’t rule out looking at legislation. There is a way forward here. Parliament could have the power to pass a particularly special law relating to these cases and to in effect, through legislation, end this injustice.”
Attempted suicide, exile abroad and prison: The stories behind the Post Office scandal
Monday 8 January 2024 18:00 , Matt Mathers
Depression, prison time, moving country, and attempted suicide. These are just some of the tales told by the victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal.
Errors made by Horizon software, which was made by tech firm Fujitsu and used by the Post Office, led to the wrongful conviction of more than 700 people over false accounting and theft between 1999 and 2015.
Speaking to The Independent, some of these former postmasters shared their “horrific” stories including tales of attempted suicide, physical abuse and exile abroad. None of them have received full compensation.
Athena Stavrou reports:
Suicide, exile abroad and prison: The stories behind the Post Office scandal
Former Tory minister accuses Treasury of holding up compensation
Monday 8 January 2024 17:50 , Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent
Former Post Office minister Paul Scully has blamed the Treasury, under Rishi Sunak, for holding up compensation.
The senior Tory – in the post between 2020 and 2022 while Sunak was chancellor – told BBC Politics Live: “It was me who went to him when Rishi was chancellor to ask him for the money. You had to go through this arcane process when you literally had to do a value for money exercise.”
He added: “There are people who had died, there are people who have committed suicide, there are people who have been chased out of their villages and even left the country as a result of this. Of course it’s value for money, of course we have got to get on and do this.”
Post Office bosses lied to me, says Sir Ed Davey
Monday 8 January 2024 17:40 , Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent
Sir Ed Davey has said the Post Office lied to him … “I wish I’d known then what we all know now – the Post Office was lying on an industrial scale to me and other ministers.”
He added: “We need to make sure their convictions are overturned, and we need to make sure they are fairly compensated.”
Too many civilians killed in Gaza - Foreign Office minister
Monday 8 January 2024 17:30 , Matt Mathers
Too many civilians have been killedn in Gaza and Israel must ensure its military campaign is targeted on Hamas leaders and operatives, a Foreign Office minister has said.
Andrew Mitchell, responding to an urgent question from Labour, told the House of Commons: “Let me begin by reiterating our fundamental belief in Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. The events of October 7 were truly horrifying. Israel has a right to restore its security and to ensure that such a horrifying event can never be repeated.
“We are also clear that too many civilians have been killed, Israel needs to ensure its campaign is targeted on Hamas leaders and operatives, fulfils its obligations to protect civilians and is consistent with international humanitarian law.
“No-one wants to see this conflict go on for a moment longer than necessary and that is why the United Kingdom played a leading role in securing the passage of Security Council resolution 2720, which made clear the urgent demand for expanded humanitarian access.
“The resolution also called for the release of hostages and for steps towards a sustainable ceasefire, something for which the British government has consistently led calls.”
Former net zero tsar Chris Skidmore formally quits as MP triggering by-election
Monday 8 January 2024 17:00 , Matt Mathers
Former net zero tsar Chris Skidmore has formally submitted his resignation as an MP in protest at the government’s plans to boost oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
His decision follows his resignation of the Conservative whip on 5 January and means Rishi Sunak faces yet another difficult by-election at the start of the year.
Writing to the chancellor to formally request the stewardship of either the Chiltern Hundreds or the Manor of Northcliffe – the archaic procedure by which MPs resign their seats – Mr Skidmore said: “Where the UK government once led in promoting climate action at Cop26, it now finds itself opposing the International Energy Agency, the UNCCC, the Committee on Climate Change, in promoting the opening of new additional oilfields and licences for extraction that will not take place at best until decades from now.
“The choice before us is whether to invest in the industries of the future, or to be tied to the industries of the past. No one has ever denied that we will not need the oil and gas we are using today, but to seek to open up future new sources of fossil fuels, that will be sold on international markets and owned by foreign companies, will do nothing for our energy security.”
Adam Forrest reports:
By-election triggered by Chris Skidmore as Tory climate rebel quits parliament
ICYMI: What’s the answer? Ask Keir, Rishi suggests
Monday 8 January 2024 16:40 , Matt Mathers
Rwanda, the Post Office scandal and tax cuts were all on the agenda in Rishi Sunak’s opening interview of 2024 – but any new year message was lost in obfuscation, writes Kate Devlin.
Read Kate’s piece in full here:
What’s the answer? Ask Keir, Rishi suggests
Watch: Post Office scandal boss recommends managing ‘all your finances digitally’ in resurfaced clip
Monday 8 January 2024 16:25 , Matt Mathers
Watch the clip here:
Post Office scandal boss recommends managing ‘all your finances digitally’ in clip
Watch: Keir Starmer criticises government’s response to flooding: ‘Not good enough’
Monday 8 January 2024 16:05 , Matt Mathers
Watch: ‘We’re on it’ - Rishi Sunak vows to right wrongs of Horizon Post Office scandal
Monday 8 January 2024 15:50 , Matt Mathers
Sunak accused of ‘relentless posturing’ over oil and gas bill
Monday 8 January 2024 15:30 , Matt Mathers
Rishi Sunak’s oil and gas bill will do “nothing” to reduce energy bills, improve gas and electricity security or tackle climate change, campaigners have warned.
Friends of the Earth (FoE) accused the prime minister of “relentless posturing” with the legislation, which has its second reading and a vote in the Commons later on Monday.
The bill would allow for an annual licensing regime for oil and gas exploration contracts. Experts have said that the UK should not be granting any new licences if it wants to meet its climate targets.
“As people face another winter of soaring energy bills, the prime minister’s relentless posturing and efforts to woo the oil and gas industry, including through this harmful bill, will do nothing to improve energy security or lower our bills,” Jamie Peters, head of climate at FoE, said.
“Senior MPs from his own party are speaking out over the huge damage this policy is doing at home and globally, as it adds more fuel to the fire of the UK’s backtracking on key climate commitments, including the recent COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels.
“Unleashing the UK’s huge potential for homegrown renewable energy and improving the energy efficiency of our homes would cut bills, create jobs, lower emissions, improve energy security and boost the economy.
“In the run up to a general election this year, voters want to see strong green policies that don’t leave us behind in the global race to a zero-carbon future.”
Alok Sharma, the former business and energy secretary, has said he will not vote for the bill. Chris Skidmore has also said he will not support the government and has signed in protest at the legislation.
However the government is still expected to win the vote comfortably.
Public inquiry ‘uncovers covert recordings of top Post Office staff’
Monday 8 January 2024 15:15 , Matt Mathers
The public inquiry into the scandal has uncovered dozens of covert recordings of senior Post Office staff – including former CEO Paula Vennells – discussing the scandal, according to The Times, Adam Forrest reports.
Around 80 recordings will be sent to participants, including former Post Office postmasters, in the days ahead. “They’re conversations with Post Office top brass including Paula Vennells. It’s very damning,” an inquiry source said.
Ms Vennells has reportedly hired the top legal firm Mishcon de Reya to represent her as she prepares to give evidence at the public inquiry later this year.
She said in 2022 that she was “truly sorry for the suffering caused to wrongly prosecuted sub-postmasters and their families”.
Starmer should explain why he didn’t intervene on Horizon, says Farage
Monday 8 January 2024 15:00 , Matt Mathers
Nigel Farage said Sir Keir Starmer should explain why he did not intervene in the Horizon IT scandal while he was director of public prosecutions at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) from 2008 to 2013, Adam Forrest reports.
“He has serious questions to answer,” the ex-Brexit Party leader tweeted on X.
The CPS was not in charge of any of the appeals which have been launched since the scandal first broke. Sir Keir has today called for prosecutions to be “taken out of the hands” of the Post Office and be given to the CPS.
Why did @Keir_Starmer not intervene in the Horizon scandal when he was Director of Public Prosecutions?
The story first broke in 2009, yet the prosecutions continued until 2015.
Given the mounting concern at the time and over 700 cases, he has serious questions to answer.— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) January 8, 2024
Ed Davey being made ‘scapegoat’ for Post Office scandal - former Lib Dem leader
Monday 8 January 2024 14:45 , Matt Mathers
Ed Davey is being made a “scapegoat” for the Post Office scandal, his former colleague and party leader Vince Cable has claimed.
Mr Davey has been accused by Conservatives of not asking the “right questions” during his stint as Post Office minister in the early years of the coalition government.
He has denied any wrongdoing, saying Post Office bosses lied to him on an “industrial scale”.
“This is election year and it’s quite good for somebody to try to make a scapegoat of a Lib Dem,” Mr Cable told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme.
"I feel a sense of responsibility... had we known how to do it, would have intervened more actively."
Former Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable tells @Sarah_Montague current leader & former postal affairs minister Sir Ed Davey is being made a 'scapegoat' in the Post Office scandal.— The World at One (@BBCWorldatOne) January 8, 2024
Watch: Moment Sunak met with laughter as he tells Burnley factory workers they are getting tax cut
Monday 8 January 2024 14:33 , Matt Mathers
Sunak met with laughter as he tells Burnley factory workers they are getting tax cut
Sunak declines to back Tory candidate in Wellingborough
Monday 8 January 2024 14:08 , Matt Mathers
Rishi Sunak has declined to give his backing to the Conservative Party’s candidate in the Wellingborough byelection.
Helen Harrison will stand in the Northamptonshire constituency after Peter Bone, her partner, was ousted in a recall petition after he indecently exposed himself to a staff member who he trapped in the bathroom of a hotel room.
“Candidate selection is done locally, so local members in their area can choose a given candidate,” the prime minister told an event in Lancashire earlier.
“That’s how it works in our party. We believe in empowering people locally that’s how we do it.”
Full response here... @LBC pic.twitter.com/DciWJc1DUX
— Natasha Clark (@NatashaC) January 8, 2024
Watch: Government must 'get on' and pay compensation to Horizon scandal victims, says Starmer
Monday 8 January 2024 13:50 , Matt Mathers
SNP and Tories will resort to ‘dirty tricks’ in the election - Sarwar
Monday 8 January 2024 13:36 , Matt Mathers
The SNP and the Tories will resort to “dirty tricks” to cling to power at Holyrood and Westminster, Anas Sarwar warned, as he urged independence supporters north of the border to back his party in the upcoming general election and help with “booting out the Tories” from Downing Street.
Mr Sarwar, however, insisted that that was “just the first step” for his party as he set his sights on recapturing power at Holyrood in the 2026 Scottish parliament elections.
Full report:
Sarwar warns of ‘dirty tricks’ from Tories and SNP ahead of general election
Sunak would 'strongly' back review of ex-Post Office chief's CBE
Monday 8 January 2024 13:15 , Matt Mathers
Sunak would ‘strongly’ back review of ex-Post Office chief’s CBE over Horizon scandal
Rishi Sunak would “strongly support” the body which 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 grow 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 that Mr Sunak would “strongly support” the forfeiture committee “if they were to choose to investigate”.
A petition addressed to Sir Chris Wormald, the chair of the committee, calling for Ms Vennells to lose her honour has already attracted more than one million signatures.
Justice secretary Alex Chalk is meeting Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake on Monday to discuss how to help the convicted branch managers clear their names.
Mr Chalk will make a statement in the Commons later.
Adam Forrest reports:
Sunak would ‘strongly’ back honours probe into ex-Post Office boss’s CBE
Watch: Post Office scandal victim cries during TV interview as she relives mental health breakdown
Monday 8 January 2024 13:09 , Matt Mathers
Post Office victim cries during TV interview as she relives mental health breakdown
Sunak flood response too slow and not enough, says Starmer
Monday 8 January 2024 13:00 , Matt Mathers
Sir Keir Starmer has said Rishi Sunak’s response to flooding is “not good enough” and vowed Labour would take pre-emptive action earlier in the year to get ahead of the problem.
The Conservatives have been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” over floods, as more than 1,800 homes have been flooded across the south of England and Midlands.
Adam Forrest reports:
Sunak flood response too slow and not enough, says Starmer
Starmer: Labour would back legislation to overturn convictions
Monday 8 January 2024 12:45 , Matt Mathers
The Labour leader told broadcasters: “I think all the convictions need to be looked at because there’s a root cause of the problem here. The government could pass legislation, so obviously we’d support that if they did.
“It might be possible to get these cases back before the Court of Appeal quickly - I’ve done that when I was a prosecutor - but whichever way it’s done, these convictions need to be looked at.
“But in addition to that, to stop it happening again, take the prosecuting role out of the Post Office and give it to the Crown Prosecution Service. So you’ve got an independent prosecutor looking at these cases in future.
“But also that compensation has been allowed for by the Treasury, has been set aside, pay it to the victims, because the human impact on them has been huge.”
Editorial: The government must finally take decisive action on the Post Office scandal
Monday 8 January 2024 12:30 , Matt Mathers
Editorial: Although the initial failures did not happen on the Sunak government’s watch, and concerns were first raised in 2009 when Labour was in power, it falls to today’s ministers to speedily put right the mistakes of their predecessors
Read the full editorial here:
Editorial: It’s time for the government to take action on the Post Office scandal
Alok Sharma attacks Rishi Sunak’s ‘smoke and mirrors’ oil bill
Monday 8 January 2024 12:15 , Matt Mathers
Alok Sharma has said he will not support Rishi Sunak’s “smoke and mirrors” oil and gas bill.
The former cabinet member and Cop26 president said the legislation is a “total distraction, which frankly changes nothing”.
Archie Mitchell reports:
Alok Sharma attacks Rishi Sunak’s ‘smoke and mirrors’ oil bill
Starmer: Post Office should be stripped of prosecution powers
Monday 8 January 2024 11:52 , Matt Mathers
Labour has called for prosecution powers to be stripped from the Post Office and previous convictions looked at again, amid growing anger over the wrongful prosecution of subpostmasters and postmistresses for alleged fraud.
Sir Keir Starmer, speaking during a visit in Loughborough, said: “I think that the prosecution should be taken out of the hands of the Post Office and given to the Crown Prosecution Service.
“I used to run the Crown Prosecution Service, we’ve prosecuted for other departments, we can do it here – that should be done straight away.
“And these convictions, the remaining convictions need to be looked at en masse.”
The Labour leader said all convictions in the scandal needed to be revisited.
Sunak: We’re making ‘good progress’ on the economy
Monday 8 January 2024 11:30 , Matt Mathers
Rishi Sunak said “good progress” on his pledges concerning the economy means “we are now in a position where we can cut your taxes”.
The Prime Minister told a PM Connect event that “debt, as measured by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility is on track to fall” and that the economy outperformed expectations.
“Inflation is the most important one. I’m pleased that we’ve delivered that ahead of schedule…
“It happened because we took difficult and responsible decisions to control spending and borrowing and welfare and allow the Bank of England to get on and do its job.
“And because we did all of that and successfully halved inflation, we are now in a position where we can cut your taxes.”
Petition by victim calling for compensation and justice hits 300,000 signatures
Monday 8 January 2024 11:20 , Matt Mathers
A petition started in 2021 by one of the victims of the Post Office scandal calling for compensation and justice for all those affected has reached 300,000 signatures.
Christopher Head - formerly the UK’s youngest postmaster - was personally affected by the scandal, and started the petition in an attempt to get compensation and accountability.
Mr Head said: “Lives were destroyed, businesses lost, homes repossessed, bankruptcies, false imprisonment, families destroyed, health issues and suicides, all down to a total cover up of the truth. I was one of these people…”
Fifty potential new victims have contacted lawyers since the drama aired, but Mr and other campaigners still believe the compensation process should be sped up, and that any potential victims should have the opportunity to return to their old jobs.
At 292,492 signatures, Mr Head has the single most supported petition that seeks redress for victims specifically. You can sign the petition by following this link.
MPs call for emergency debate on Post Office scandal
Monday 8 January 2024 10:46 , Matt Mathers
MPs plan to raise the Horizon scandal in the Commons as parliament returns today amid growing anger over the wrongful prosecution of subpostmasters and postmistresses for alleged fraud.
Conservative backbencher David Davis and Labour MP Kevan Jones are pushing for an emergency debate after an ITV drama returned the widespread miscarriage of justice to the spotlight.
Former Tory minister Mr Davis stressed it was down to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to grant urgent questions from MPs but he believed there was “no doubt” the issue would come up in the chamber in the coming days.
“This is such a big issue. There are now tens of millions of people who care about this, and care about it a lot,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“It did take a docudrama in this case I’m afraid, and many of us have been struggling for a long while to try and elevate it.”
Mr Davis also said he could see “no logical reason” why there couldn’t be a mass appeal for all those wrongly convicted given that all of the cases “depend on one single lie”.
Conservatives face ‘obliateration’ at election, senior Tory says
Monday 8 January 2024 10:45 , Matt Mathers
Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives face “obliteration” at the general election, a senior Tory MP has said in comments leaked from a private event.
Danny Kruger, a leading backbencher and founder of the increasingly influential New Conservatives group, made the remarks at an event held by the ResPublica think tank last year, The Guardian reports.
He said: “The narrative that the public has now firmly adopted – that over 13 years things have got worse – is one we just have to acknowledge and admit.
“I’m afraid, if we leave office next year, we would have left the country sadder, less united and less conservative than when we found it.”
Mr Kruger did not deny making the comments.
ICYMI: Sunak forced to defend Rwanda plan after leak suggested he harboured significant doubts
Monday 8 January 2024 10:30 , Matt Mathers
Rishi Sunak has been forced to defend his flagship Rwanda plan after leaked documents suggested he harboured significant doubts about the controversial scheme – and argued for it to be scaled back.
The prime minister said it had been his job when chancellor to scrutinise “every proposal” that involved spending taxpayers’ money.
Kate Devlin reports:
Sunak forced to defend Rwanda plan after leak suggested he had significant doubts
Ministers urged to be ‘careful’ about quashing all convictions
Monday 8 January 2024 10:14 , Matt Mathers
Ministers should be “careful” about quashing the convictions of sub-postmasters in case “that one person” has committed a crime, one of the victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal has said.
Tracy Felstead told BBC Breakfast: “I think we need to be really careful that we’re not just going to go and turn everybody’s convictions over just in case you have that one person that has committed a crime and you have just turned over their conviction.
“I think we have to be careful with what we are doing.”
Ed Davey has serious questions to answer over Post Office scandal, victims say
Monday 8 January 2024 09:58 , Matt Mathers
Sir Ed Davey has “serious questions to answer” over his role in the Horizon IT scandal and should consider quitting, former Post Office branch managers have said.
The Liberal Democrat leader was postal affairs minister from 2010 to 2012 and has been accused of having “fobbed off” victims of the scandal, which has been described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history.
Archie Mitchell reports:
Ed Davey has serious questions to answer over Post Office scandal, victims say
Post Office boss should ‘give back’ CBE - Labour frontbencher
Monday 8 January 2024 09:43 , Matt Mathers
The former Post Office boss who was in charge during the Horizon scandal should “give back” her CBE, a Labour frontbencher has said.
Steve Reed, the shadow environment secretary, said: “In terms of the honour that the former head of the Post Office received… well, speaking for myself personally here, I do think she should give that back,” he told TalkTV.
“It’s an insult to the sub-postmasters who suffered from what her leadership delivered that she should accept that honour.”
Tories choose partner of disgraced ex-MP Peter Bone to fight by-election to replace him
Monday 8 January 2024 09:10 , Matt Mathers
The Conservatives have chosen the partner of disgraced ex-MP Peter Bone to fight a by-election to replace him.
Mr Bone’s constituents used a recall petition to kick him out of parliament in December, after he was found to have indecently exposed himself to a staff member and trapped him in the bathroom of a hotel room.
Kate Devlin reports:
Tories choose partner of disgraced ex-MP Peter Bone in by-election to replace him
Post Office should be stripped of role deciding compensation
Monday 8 January 2024 08:56 , Matt Mathers
The Post Office should be stripped of its role in deciding on compensation for those who were wrongly prosecuted because of flaws in its Horizon IT system, a member of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board has said.
Professor Richard Moorhead, of the University of Exeter, said an independent body which may be able to take over that role already exists.
He told Times Radio: “We certainly think it is a bad idea that the Post Office has such a role in the compensation scheme.
“It obviously paints the wrong picture to the subpostmasters. We need a scheme which is, as fully as possible, independent from the Post Office.
“That could be done relatively straightforwardly. One of the compensation schemes is independent of the Post Office.
“It might be possible to move the cases across to there.”
Petition for Post Office boss to lose CBE over Horizon scandal hits one million
Monday 8 January 2024 08:36 , Matt Mathers
A petition calling for former Post Office boss Paula Vennells to lose her CBE over the Horizon scandal has attracted more than one million signatures.
Demands for the Honours Forfeiture Committee to remove her CBE have emerged again after ITV aired a new drama into the scandal, which has been described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history.
Cormac Pearson reports:
Petition for Post Office boss to lose CBE over Horizon scandal hits one million
Post Office scandal: Justice will be done ‘as quickly as possible’, minister says
Monday 8 January 2024 08:35 , Matt Mathers
Treasury minister Bim Afolami said the government is working “incredibly hard” to make sure that justice is done “as quickly as possible” for postmasters wrongly convicted in the Horizon scandal.
“We are working incredibly hard to make sure that as quickly as possible justice is done, because I was as appalled as everybody else in the country was when I heard about this scandal,” he told LBC.
Mr Afolami said Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who served for a period as postal affairs minister in the coalition government, should “be honest with people” and explain why as a minister “he didn’t ask the right questions”.
Asked whether Sir Ed should consider his position, he said: “To be honest, I’m not one who goes around saying that (someone) needs to resign, but I do think he needs to do is he needs to be honest with people and explain why as a minister, he didn’t ask the right questions.”
Justice secretary to hold talks on speeding up compensation payments
Monday 8 January 2024 08:27 , Matt Mathers
The justice secretary will reportedly hold talks with another minister in his department to look at ways of speeding up compensation payments to victims of the Post Office scandal.
Alex Chalk is due to meet with Kevin Hollinrake, the Post Office minister, this morning as the scandal attracts significant media attention following the Mr Bates vs the Post Office TV dramatisation of the scandal.
More than 700 Post Office branch managers were given criminal convictions after faulty Fujitsu accounting software called Horizon made it appear as though money was missing from their shops.
Compensation happening at ‘snail’s pace'
Monday 8 January 2024 08:19 , Matt Mathers
Former workers wrongly accused of stealing from the Post Office have accused the government of issuing payments at a “snail’s pace”.
The prime minister said on Sunday that the government was examining ways to speed up the appeals process for wrongly convicted Post Office branch managers.
“What are you going to do to ensure we get fair and final compensation, not in dribs and drabs and not at a snail’s pace?” Sue Knight, a postmistress who lost everything after she was wrongly accused of theft, asked Mr Sunak during an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
“Please stop making us still feel like victims.”
Post Office scandal victims could be exonerated, Rishi Sunak suggests
Monday 8 January 2024 08:15 , Matt Mathers
The government is examining ways to speed up the appeals process for wrongly convicted Post Office branch managers after what has been described as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.
Moves could include exonerating all those involved or removing the Post Office’s ability to investigate or prosecute suspecter officers, Rishi Sunak has confirmed.
Kate Devlin reports:
Post Office scandal victims could be exonerated, Rishi Sunak suggests
Monday 8 January 2024 08:14 , Matt Mathers
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live politics coverage.
As MPs return to parliament following the Christmas holidays, we’ll be covering the continuing fallout from the Post Office scandal and other stories from Westminster and elsewhere.
Stay tuned for all the latest updates.
