Former Post Office boss hands back CBE as government considers overturning convictions

The former Post Office boss Paula Vennells has handed back her CBE, saying she's truly sorry for the devastation caused to the victims of the Horizon scandal.
Meanwhile the Government says it's urgently working on a way to clear the names of hundreds of former subpostmasters and postmistresses who were wrongly convicted - and speeding up their compensation.

[@rb1062]

Now force her to hand back her bonuses. And cut her pension.

[@julianshepherd2038]

A corrupt priest. Who would have thought it ?

[@mickeypye2593]

NOT REALLY THE SAME SHOWER OF B'STARDS NOW ARE THEY ?!?

[@izzytrue8630]

Vicar, darling, call them by their proper name!!! Priests ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WORK OUTSIDE THE CHURCH!!!

[@mradelve]

HO! HO! HO! Well well Well

[@philiphemmings3199]

she only returned it because she knew it was going to be taken off her

[@darren253]

Yes and now she and the Government are squirming. What is so worrying is that the company had screwed before .

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

​@@darren253the little rats

[@marymungleandmidge4080]

Shame it took a TV drama to shine a light on this dreadful miscarriage of justice. People lives were ruined for 20+ years. Those who are guilty of this cover up should be facing time in prison.

[@user-fk8no7md8b]

she should not have taken the award, but we all nocorruption starts at the bottom, has she been FIRED like all the inocent people whowere fired, and possibly took their lives, that cannot be bought of or kept quiet?

[@johnriley9742]

The change in the amount of MPs who cared aboout this issue once it had been on TV is very telling about the state of our political class these days.

[@philipdynes8732]

Put her in prison

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

The question should be why is she not in prison

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

That seems more dodgy that she didnt get time

[@JRattheranch]

Nearly, if not, 20 years! 20 years is beyond belief! What a pathetic country we've become? I'm disgusted!

[@darren253]

This is the fault when we sold everything overseas. Foreign firms come in and can buy British firms with ease.

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

I know its the same amount of time it takes man united to sign a football player. Fkin ridiculous

[@CandiceGoddard]

I think Britain is a great country, the best actually, but why does this make you think the UK has become a pathetic country if the Rotherham Child Abuse Scandal and the Windrush Scandal did not? I just find it strange.

[@CandiceGoddard]

@@darren253 If you read up on this scandal, the issue was a Japanese technology for counting money and stocktaking, so in this case the issue is that people relied on technology not a good old fashioned pen and paper and basic arithmetic. Things like this will keep happening because this kind of technology is neither as flawless nor as benign as people believe. I think that we can be glad that since this happened in Britain that is why this scandal was even broached in public. Elsewhere it might simply have been covered up because eventually these people would simply die off and then it would be forgotten in history.

[@fpvDRE]

dont blame the country full of great people lead my a dumb govt thats all

[@Ruylopez778]

736 prosecuted from 1999-2015 by the Post Office - one a week. How on earth could managment assume that the company was being continually defrauded by staff for that period of time? Outrageous and absurd.

[@sydnorth5868]

That doesn't include the 3,000+ who were not prosecuted because they repaid what the Post Office said they were owed. Many of those also suffered financial ruin as a result. It's actually almost one a day!

[@djslybacon]

My thinking too

[@kevinturner9733]

Now exonerate the sub postmasters and pay them the compensation that they deserve.

[@Stephen0988]

2.5 Million each

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

Its not about deserving the compensation its about doing whats right. What they should do is take it out of her money.

[@deananthony1000]

@@Stephen0988so those who spent months in prison should get the same amount as those who didn’t ?

[@judewestburner]

What does 'compensate' mean in this context? Compensation is not what happens when a thief has to hand back stuff to victims.

[@deananthony1000]

@@judewestburner it means hand back that stuff PLUS compensation

[@cjheeley]

Yet again we the public have to pay for governments crimes. Enough is enough. This shouldn't have gotten this far. It should've been sorted out all those years ago. The people who let this happen and let sub postmasters take the fall criminally and socially should be jailed. There is no other option. An eye for an eye.

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

The government didnt know. She was hiding the cover up!

[@SorceMaKaVeli]

look over there immigrant boats..

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

We dont have too

[@leerussellsmith8558]

She should be arrested

[@williammoxham9556]

If persons knew that there was a problem with the computer software when giving evidence at trails of Sub postmasters, they should be arrested and charged for Perverting the course of justice, no matter who they are.

[@luminousfractal420]

Bingo

[@mrcreosote3808]

And repay the postmasters out of their own money to boot

[@CandiceGoddard]

Maybe they should be publicly named and shamed instead because I don't see why more taxpayer money should be wasted on prosecutions and imprisonment for this when the sub-postmasters and mistresses need to be exonerated and compensated. The people I think should be vigorously investigated are those who received the money. How did they not notice that there was more income than there was supposed to be? Some of the post-masters/mistresses were paying back the supposed shortfall from their own money, but if there was no shortfall that means the government took in more money than it should have. What happened to it?

[@sydnorth5868]

@@CandiceGoddard At a guess, most of it covered the losses being made by the Post Office and a fair chunk of it was paid as bonuses to the senior management who could now say to the Government "look, we've turned your loss-making business into a profitable one".

[@jaynemichelle5]

Take away her pensions and throw her in jail . The Sub Postmasters have suffered for more than she ever will.

[@keylime2998]

She should be put in jail, so she can experience what she callously let happen and her inaction to release these victims.

[@Dude-etiquette]

If she knew what was right she would’ve given it back a long time ago, not wait for 1000000 to sign a partition. She obviously still thinks she was not party to this.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

Her statement does not admit liability

[@Dude-etiquette]

@@Woodman-Spare-that-tree Not saying she should be in jail. She was in charge at the time, when the scandal broke she should've done the right thing, not wait

[@angr3819]

So how many workers contacted their own local MP's to no avail? If any did, who were those MP's?

[@lifesbutastumble]

Will Government overturn Post Office Convictions? Err, why is this even a question?

[@davidbamford1971]

Ed Davy needs to go. He would be the first in line to ask any other minister to resign in similar circumstances. The staff had a right to their assumed good character. His refusal to meet the PO Union representative is reason enough for him to do the deceiving and go.

[@murraymitchell22]

Yet no criminal prosecution for Post Office board.

[@chocksaway100]

Now Vennels needs to hand back her £400.000 bonus .

[@colmcgillveray1010]

Now jail her.

[@DonInADress]

This has been known foe years and it took a tv show to get any action done? How ridiculous

[@rosemaryclark9816]

Whatever these crooks do including PV will not ever make up for the harm they have done to these people .I doubt that they will ever recover.

[@djslybacon]

I hope she and others involved are now prosecuted for neglect, lies, and gross misconduct.

[@julianshepherd2038]

Lady Mone will be laughing her tots off

[@sarahjparnell]

@julianshepherd2038 absolutely, I don’t understand why there wasn’t the out cry for scamming the nation on PPE during a National crisis when people were dying. Shocking

[@EWAScotland]

So, to translate, she got a phone call telling her she either gives it back, or it will be taken from her. She has no honour and did not do this voluntarily

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

She should be in prison for what she did to all of them workers. And them workers should get compensated

[@1inchPunchBowl]

All of Fujitsu's government contracts need to be terminated asap, as well. They also need to be made to pay compensation.

[@WOW-li4uj]

Corruption corruption corruption! Governments, Banks , Corporations that’s all we ever hear! Oh and how much that was paid out to the corrupt and how much better they are then the 97% club!

[@richardtuxford1812]

So she was a priest too....makes sense! Ardently believes they are right and others should be punished in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary

[@cobbler40]

The government is making noises until this drops out of the news cycle. It has been going on for 20 years. It shows government’s contempt for the electorate.

[@seawavechau]

no UK IT company as an alternative?

[@momurda6]

Too expensive when bidding.

[@GyamtsoG]

Horrible people in positions of power makes horrible mistakes and the taxpayer is forced to compensate. Why? The horrible people should be punished. Not the taxpayer!!!

[@naxieysadventures5506]

so i accept the country needs to compensate the postmaster victims for being falsely imprisoned but as Royal mail is a private company why are they not paying the compensation to the postmasters? why do tax payers have to pay for their mistake? can anyone explain this to me?

[@WhichDoctor1]

post office was publicly owned when a lot of it happened. Might have something to do with it?

[@neilmartin1111]

The post office is owned by the govt, as the only shareholder which is also the the UK public, any court costs/compo paid out comes from the Taxpayer

[@naxieysadventures5506]

@@WhichDoctor1 Ah ok, thanks! i thought this happened after it was sold off

[@mradelve]

@@neilmartin1111 You are absolutely 100% CORRECT.

[@aaronjohnson6916]

I think Dr Margaret Heffernan raises the salient point, only now we have 'tech savvy' individuals at the heart oof government who see partnerships like this as a way to enrich themselves...

[@therealrobertbirchall]

Problem is they are not 'tec savvy' they are just greedy and wil do and say anything, take kickbacks? to line their own pockets 😢

[@stephenholmes1036]

She hasn't given up her jobs given when she left her role at the post office. Fujitsu have known about this since it was designed

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

It baffles me how somebody hired that thing

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

Britain does not need an emergency alert system.

[@chris-vn6sw]

I’d love to know how many ministers have had their palms greased 🤔🤔

[@davidsturgess5083]

Why were the errors always losses, surely glitches of this type would produce gains and losses. Have any sub postmasters reported gains on their accounts? Sounds like a malicious scam was taking place.

[@haydenharris3059]

She's handed back nothing of importance. I'm not fooled by these theatrical placebos.

[@Dublinireland5]

There has been a lot of problems with the post office caused by the managers, as customers we are losing our faith in the post office it would be better to close it down completely

[@cameronfateweaver2206]

all chief executives are not decent people. we need to get them.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Stupid comment. There will always be someone at the top of an organisation.

[@warrenSPQRXxl]

Just as in the United States, the legal "system" exists mainly to benefit lawyers, whether defense, prosecutor, or judge.

[@daviddowsett1658]

The original award in 2021 was for £58m, of which the lawyers took £46m, leaving £12m for the 555, this is another crime !!!

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

From england we apologize

[@benwilson6145]

Now is the time for Bozo's and the Lettuces clown show of honours to be cancelled as well.

[@Mike_5]

Time to re-evaluate other Government contracts that Fujitsu are employed on now after their pathetic attempt at avoiding blame by claiming they allegedly informed the Post Office that the multi million pound IT system they had built did not work properly if there was more than one Horizon terminal used at the same time in a Post Office Branch

[@cjheeley]

Yes Rishi will overturn the convictions for political gain. Too little too late. Public confidence has disappeared for both parties.

[@DPK12]

Someone needs to investigate the local government and Fujitsu /oracle projects

[@Nick-xc4fy]

Why are tax payers paying for this? Absolutely ridiculous. Waste of my money.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

The Post Office is owned by the government, that's the taxpayer. I have no doubt Fujitsu will contribute.

[@davidhoward4715]

so Nick-xc4fy, you believe that the victims should not be compensated. How charitable of you!

[@geoffallshorn5167]

She's only sorry that she was exposed.

[@therealrobertbirchall]

Expect a huge leap in the cost of postage when this is all over.

[@waynedlima2226]

Get the money to the victims quicker than the lawyers do for god sake

[@GyamtsoG]

Horrible people in positions of power makes horrible mistakes and the taxpayer is forced to compensate. Why? The horrible people should be punished. Not the taxpayer!!! CBE means and her apology mean nothing

[@angr3819]

Does anyone else realise this? Enacting legislation will sweep it under the carpet fast with minimum so called compensation? A retired Head of the Criminal Cases Review Commission was on TV today stating that legislation should only be enacted when all other avenues have been exhausted. They haven't been, even though it would have only taken months (instead of the years so far) for the commission and Court of Appeal to overturn the convictions. It could have been done long ago. No doubt they could also award a much higher level of compensation to surviving victims. As well as properly investigate the roles and liability arising from the legal Duty of Care of those at the very top as well as others.

[@Andrew-rc3vh]

The act of parliament is the right way to go. If not then every case has to be reviewed by the Court of Appeal and that would just stuff lawyers pockets even more. The act could also claw back money from dishonest legal firms in the case.

[@so-calledpoetjones3797]

it took a tv programme to get this government to get this sorted i wonder why could be a election year

[@viewer47ful]

She must not continue to earn the money that she has because of the CBE.

[@CandiceGoddard]

How many of these people died before the day came?

[@Gibbo1]

Why did she accept it in the first place?

[@darrenvoysey7734]

amazing to see how many were non-plussed before the itv drama - even though it's been decades in the brewing

[@gunarone1]

Fujitsu is a partner of Infosys owned by Sunak’s wife’s family. Gillian Keegan’s husband was the CEO of Fujitsu. Tory government gave £4.9 billion contracts to Fujitsu post-Horizon scandal. Sunak alone accounted for £3.6 billion. Fujitsu runs Scotland's elections. Fujitsu has a deal to support eCounting in Scottish local authority elections, used since 2007. The agreement includes printing-distribution of ballot papers, counting and results, and support for local authorities.

[@INFP-T50]

Japanese people are angry because the British company that Fujitsu bought created a flaw in the system and the British government is blaming the Japanese company.

[@tonicalloway7227]

Wow!..just wow...

[@jrbs]

Its appauling that a TV drama has been needed to kick MP's into action.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

It's how the world works today.

[@davidhoward4715]

@@jjefferyworboys8138 It always has been.

[@Paul_C]

Faith and Money: Everything stays the same!

[@Ruylopez778]

An absolute fucking disgrace to add to a long list but governments and institutions of this country for decades. It's all very well trying to scapegoat Fujitsu, but this is a total failure of morality, justice and accountability at multiple levels by the Post Office, the government and judicial system AFTER the problems with the Horizon system were known.

[@leonduplessis]

I have never understood why companies and governments have taken computers as being the truth at all times. We know these computers have made many mistakes and we need to be more people-oriented services. Try getting in touch with the government or companies and the first thing that happens is that computers are the first thing that talk to us and you get so angry with these machines. I think people need to be hired and put their services with people and not machines.

[@user-on1dt4mm6h]

What is the problem with over turning convictions or are the ceos to powerfull and the gov are just waiting for it to wash away and be foregotten like they do.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

The convictions should be overturned by the courts not the government. There is no reason that it can't be done quickly.

[@garytuner1938]

Who decides what amount of compensation they should pay but not tax payers money , but Fujitsu billions they racked in ,what a travesty of justice ,get Fujitsu owner to hand in person all sub post office managers a million pound check each , or kick Fujitsu out of uk totally 927 cases not overturned yet

[@TC-qd1zw]

Time we overturned Parliament as it has done nothing for us since 1215 when it came into effect.

[@NeilPatton1962]

..and the money...that hasn't been handed back I bet.

[@Normanskie]

Should Fujitsu foot the bill, this all depends on the communication, was Fujitsu made aware of the problems, did the Post Office query the accuracy or did the Post Office just steam ahead.

[@MikeL-7]

Don’t vote for the Tories

[@alicat398]

Fujitsu must have known and covered it up. Post office must uave been negligent or ignorant or both not to have thrown the book at them life in jail for all those involved is too little to late for the systemic deceit and fraud perpetrated against good decent people. You cannot expect people to obey the law ever again if these criminals walk away with no consequence.

[@tonieveritt7045]

They have to overturn no choice

[@adamgrimsley2900]

I'm sorry. I took 5mn quid

[@philiphoward4966]

Does Fujitsu operate any software for the NHS, is it reliable ?

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

If you do a simple Google search you would know just how many government contracts Fujitsu has had. Its not difficult !

[@therealrobertbirchall]

Fujisu supply al lot of high tech equipment to the NHS life MRI, CAT scanners and Xray equipment, which, of course, according to a radiographer I know, run on Fujisu software.

[@DPK12]

@@jjefferyworboys8138I’m curious about how many local gov / oracle projects cost , any idea?

[@Kx0195]

Considering? They should have done that years ago when it all came to light. Even if that meant some convictions got overturned that shouldnt have.

[@delboyoelmundo4718]

Overall it’s the Fujitsu people who should be made to pay , HM Govt trust these companies too much , the ability to remote in to these terminals by Fujitsu was not admitted

[@TheOmegaRiddler]

Paula Vennells shouldn't have been afforded the opportunity of returning the CBE, it should have been stripped from her. She shouldn't have been afforded any opportunity to show dignity, something the post office didn't do once to any of the postmasters they victimized. I think Fujitsu should lose all their contracts and be banned from doing business in the UK and also have to front the bill for repaying the victims of their buggy software.

[@ecknareal]

Barristers and lawyers costing the tax payer and government money? Need a Fix? Put in place a law that requires all barristers/lawyers who pass the bar in the Uk to, once in their working life have their names in a hat, and be asked to represent the UK on a single case. We are expected to help out on juries for the good of the country, why not these people earning the big bucks.

[@davidhoward4715]

Represent the UK? In other words the government? No thanks!

[@ecknareal]

Yeah better they just pay for legal fees out of our pocket directly, good input. @@davidhoward4715

[@darrenvoysey7734]

and the bonuses?!

[@realPromotememedia]

The gov should ignore her return and go through the stripping process so it’s recorded for posterity as stripped Plus the government will then be recorded as the donuts that both awarded it and had to swallow their own vomit.

[@garychristie5009]

Isn't it ironic that when they illegally prosecuted these innocent people it happened very quickly but when it comes to the government to reimburse/compensate the poor victims they hire a bunch of layers to try and stop each claim. So disgraceful.

[@Neil-yh8uu]

The Head of dpp when it was happening needs to answer questions has they would have had full powers to intervene Look 700+ all saying the same should have raised eyebrows ..... Those at the top should be charged and maybe questions should be raised about those who took their lives theres a good chance manslaughter charges to be looked in to any good laywer would see this

[@travelwell6049]

I thought it was just a title or some letters after your name or something, I didn’t realise it was a physical thing that you can hand back!?

[@therealrobertbirchall]

They get a wee medal. To impress the plebs with.

[@grahamkearnon6682]

This is your tory England do you feel like mugs yet!

[@Stephen0988]

The suicides are directly linked to this Miscarriage, so pay compensation to their families.

[@Setinmywaysalways]

Political Force & over 1.5 million signing a Petition, after Hiring Top London Solicitors. Now the Politicians whe were involved.

[@sarahjparnell]

The Gov shouldn’t be over turning these convictions it’s a slippery slope. The judiciary should be over terming them.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Agreed and in a very timely fashion.

[@user-ge6yh9pz6o]

She should of been sacked

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

She works in mental care. Where she will ruin there lifes next

[@andrewrapley1270]

Ofe course they will its election year.

[@j2248]

Goes to show what proper TV can do in the real world

[@paulatreides0777]

Taxes will go up again to pay for it

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

You saying that really dont help.

[@iainmore3961]

Former Post Office boss hands back CBE as government considers overturning convictions - Why wasn't she arrested and slung in a cell? CoE hand in glove with the Brit Corruptocracy as well.

[@garytuner1938]

Paula give back your bonuses to sub post office people immediately

[@markmanc-zw3td]

Highly intelligent person needed for Million pound job - 1 question. New system gets fitted & hundreds of employees suspected of theft overnight , what do you do . A. Check the system. B. Sack em all . Answer B , stuff em & think of your bonus !

[@DerekWong967]

It's a complete distraction to blame Fujitsu. They weren't the villains in this case. Defective software can be reasonably expected and is a non-story. The real crime is ignoring it and scapegoating your employees to the point of suicide.

[@SNAFUferret]

Can we have an ITV dramatisation of habitual liar Johnson and the never ending catalogue of sh t from this awful government?

[@yummemys4608]

Take her pensions, savings, homes too. Oh right.. She has mates in the UK governing elite club. They look after each other. This is democracy so we peasants can't fight the elites freedom.

[@luminousfractal420]

Prime minister saw another useful diversion and put the boot in....finally As for the clone of americas emergency alert noise.... everybody in the usa has it turned off, legal or not they put the ootion on phones now. The entire system is a waste of money.

[@DevonHaigh-if5hk]

Hes too weak. It shows in his body language the way he trys to blame oppositions and his speech is bad. Hes a weak man.