Post Office scandal: PM “strongly supports” withdrawing CBE from ex-Post Office boss

"We are on it" Rishi Sunak declared today as he sought to reassure sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted of defrauding the Post Office in the Horizon scandal that he would speed up the process of quashing their convictions and making sure they get full compensation.
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This evening, a minister is in the Commons to update MPs on the government's plans to deal with the miscarriage of justice. The Post Office has apologised to all those affected.
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[@josephhoward3558]

I don't understand why all the Post Office executive staff haven't been arrested and compelled to return all their bonuses and if that makes them bankrupt, then tough.

[@user-rt2ri5ft5v]

Once your snout is in the trough you are laughing.

[@Stephen0988]

Ed Davy should go I have resigned from the lib dems

[@strategic4124]

You wonder why post office executives haven't been arrested ! Because they have been protected ! By high official government figures for years Because they have Shares and stake in the post office Or have a stakes and share in horizon Fujitsu IT company that designed the software

[@Isaacshekelstein]

You don't understand a lot of things and are probably governed by an eggshell treading mechanism. Ten quid says this can be traced back to Jews.

[@angr3819]

Collusion. Conspiring together. It was all repugnant behaviour by those involved in imposing the new computer system and in refusing to admit it was very faulty. They should all be prosecuted and heavily enough fined that it will affect their lives to the same extent as they caused the post masters and post mistresses. It is for them to sue the creators of the system. I would be astonished if a lot of the post office workers wrongly convicted of fraud had always had excellent accounts prior to the imposition of the new system, and that alone should have been proof - including in court - that so many of them couldn't be wrong. I believe the magistrates and judges are shouting at also be held to account. Bearing in mind that many post office workers lost their homes and credit ratings in addition to receiving criminal convictions. So were greatly and unjustly hindered from obtaining new jobs and homes. Even homes to rent. I haven't really kept up to date with this, and wonder if any committed suicide? Not if any have passed away from other causes, never having received justice and compensation? In fact, jail terms for the Ministers and the top bosses wouldn't be out of order. It's an important fact that the unjustly accused were forced to "repay" monies which weren't missing at all, and their monies went towards bonuses for the top bosses. How many of those bosses are related to MP's? Particularly those involved in allowing the great miscarriage of justice against innocent employees? How many of those ministers are family members to cental bankers and their royal royal relatives? Including their extended family members? We all know that all wars are bankers wars. That includes financial terrorism. The whole thing no doubt was a factor in fomenting privatisation of the once reasonably reliable and bit affordable post office. I suspect the post office workers were deliberately set up and their innocence was never meant to be proven. I am furious especially for the one who committed suicide and won't see his innocence proven nor receive "compensation'' (as if they could be enough compensated). If we had the guillotine then heads could roll, because it was another case of literal Treason with the post office being owned by the public at the time, and as far as I know the death penalty still exists for it.

[@hg82met]

Oh god, look at Rishi acting and speaking like a public school boy trying to get elected head boy. Empty vessel inside an expensive suit. Everything he does and says is insincere.

[@gerrynicol3951]

Exactlly "thinking the same these guys are probely thinking who,s this .p....

[@MO_91185c]

Ha! Exactly!

[@sheshahayat5117]

😂 head boy…😅 too greedy for power…

[@Millie.com232]

The suits or clothes never fit either. Always a couple of sizes too small

[@StratsRUs]

Money buys people.Money buys education.

[@guff9567]

WithdrW her CBE? Rubbish. She should serve a life sentence

[@JamesBoslem-fh9gr]

I’m not in favour of the death penalty, but in this instance ........

[@charliec6020]

*bell rings* "shame!" *bell rings* "shame!" *nokia 3310 hurled at her shaved head* "shame!"

[@MrPoetemaudit]

Why does it take a TV drama to realise a miscarriage of justice? It should have been obvious from the moment the scandal was uncovered.

[@wendyturney8914]

I cannot understand why the PO employees who answered the helplines were content to tell what they knew what were lies. Where were all the investigative journalists, they did know, we all knew some of it?

[@MrPoetemaudit]

I agree. The lying was on a colossal scale.@@wendyturney8914

[@bookie5667]

​​@@wendyturney8914Computer Weekly reported this story in 2009. Private Eye published their first report in September 2011 and have reported regularly ever since. BBC Panorama has made at least 3 programmes about this story. BBC Radio 4 made a series called "The Great Post Office Trial". Freelance journalist Nick Wallis contributed to a lot of these reports. He's even witten a book about the scandal.... However, it seems the best way to get the public's attention is to make a drama about it. It's the public's understandable disgust that has lit a fire under MPs.

[@alexjogyerek2120]

because it is in fricken UK

[@larryfroot]

The first article written about this was in 2009.

[@PortsladeBySea]

Paula Vennells must be stripped of her CBE and prosecuted for the crimes she committed. This whole issue is a total disgrace 😢⚰️⛓️

[@wendyturney8914]

There can be no compensation for those that went to prison, who committed suicide or those who have lost 25 years of their lives. The consequences must be serious as people died because of this.

[@Lindowman888]

The post office should suffer and all those associated bosses should be held liable for deformation

[@Madonnalitta1]

​@Lindowman888 it's not the "Post Office" to blame. It was the Horizon computer system that we used, supplied to us by Fujitsu. I worked there for more than a decade.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

@@Lindowman888 The Post Office is owned by the Government, that's the taxpayer.

[@chuck1804]

​​@@Madonnalitta1the whole scandal is the failure to investigate the computer system as faulty, when it was a known issue, and to knowingly prosecute 700+ of it's own workers for crimes they did not commit. The post office made those prosecutions, and is liable for the reparations.

[@tannehbefoh8258]

Over 3 thousand people have died due to contaminated blood products knowingly supplied by the NHS they are still dying at a rate of 1 every 4 days 50 since last April when the government stated it has a moral duty to pay compensation and still they wait and die please spread the word the government are relying on the victims fear of stigma to keep them quiet they need the same support that people hav3 shown the horizon workers its taken a few days for the government to quash convictions and promise compensation the blood scandal victims deserve the same public support but sadly they are not getting it. Check out the amount of views on the Horizon workers and then the blood scandal posts

[@adamgrimsley2900]

Been in power for the entire scandal history. Had 14yrs...Failed

[@Ukipmiddleleft]

This is the top end of a huge iceberg of Corporate organisations and how they unlawfully treat employees. We need legal aid back and better employment laws to avoid this outrage of injustice. Large corporations vs the small people as ever

[@iamjoestafford]

Absolutely - this government's scrapping of most legal aid is an absolute scandal, and denies justice to everyone but the rich or the truly determined. Labour should reinstate it immediately after an election, and use this scandal as the reasoning if need be....surely that would be a vote winner?

[@JamesBoslem-fh9gr]

That same legal aid that Johnson was able to use

[@iamjoestafford]

@@JamesBoslem-fh9gr Yep - we paid his legal costs, but the man on the street doesn't have that option any more. Disgusting!

[@reamoinmcdonachadh9519]

How many execs, who were at the Post Office during the whole period of this scandalous affair are STILL there, how many have left and moved to other industries, more over how many are still living? How many and who IN PARTICULAR lied on an industrial scale sufficient to be charged with criminal offences? Lastly who and WHAT is at the heart of delaying the paying out of appropriate compensation to the victims of this egregious miscarriage of Justice?

[@sphinx1017]

Jail and financial ruin is a punishment. Withdrawing an honour isn't.

[@iamjoestafford]

I watched the ITV drama in tears today - I can't believe what all those people went through. I don't know how Paula Vennells sleeps at night - maybe she thinks her holy vows mean she can just pray for forgiveness?

[@canalboating]

"Who thought it was a good idea to give her a CBE" never a truer word spoken

[@andrewoliver8930]

I like the honours. You can then see who's in the club of elites.

[@llux]

@@andrewoliver8930exactly and that she tried to be the bishop of the church of england😂😂

[@1Thedairy]

These poor people have waited years for justice. It’s an absolute disgrace and they should be completely exonerated and compensated without any more delay or hassle.

[@yootaobe5536]

All they had to wait for was an election the tories are worried of losing before they decided to take action.

[@tannehbefoh8258]

There's a larger group of people that have been waiting for justice for 40 years the blood contamination victims 3000 dead already 1 dying every 4 days and still still the government delay they say they are working at a pace but 50 victims have died since last April still waiting please spread the word these people have had their lives not only destroyed but ended

[@user-bu9nb8wr6e]

The post offices is in charge of payments to these individual and they are the ones that have fought every appeal. That is what really stinks.

[@GB-yv5qk]

What hasn’t been mentioned by ministers is the poor souls who took their own lives because of what the post office did to them. I strongly believed their close family members should be compensated also.

[@MO_91185c]

Doubly

[@DJB01]

Talk, talk, talk. Overturn the erroneous convictions and pay them compensation, Rishi.

[@user-rt2ri5ft5v]

He's too busy blaming other peopole.

[@rmmcowan7311]

Post Office managers should be held to criminal justice

[@Nellsmum22]

Alan Bates is a delightful man.

[@TheLincolnrailsplitt]

💯

[@jeremiahkearney5191]

As part of the “composition” the post office should be made put up public notice in every post office apologising to all the postmasters and the staff who were wrongly accused of “all criminality” associated with the Horizon software. And include names where agreed with the victims.

[@alisonjmiller5339]

Compensation not Composition

[@BsktImp]

Can someone please explain what super special bit of information or evidence has suddenly come to light since the drama was aired that was not available before in orderfor Sunak to make this view or decision? Has he similarly thrown his ire at whichever colleague(s) nominated Vennells for the CBE in the first place? Stinks of trying to jump on something to win some level of public accolade. How can he support forfeiture of the honour but stay silent on the awarding of contracts to Fujitsu? In any case, this whole thing goes way beyond the CBE! Every stage right from privatisation of the The Post Office onwards is littered with scandal and villans.

[@sararichardson737]

There was a brilliant podcast covering this tragedy that I listened to,incredulously, in 2017. Six years later there is finally acknowledgement for these poor people

[@hayleyb2254]

Do you remember what it was called? I would like to have a listen. ​@@sararichardson737

[@dukeofengland]

Of course she should have her CBE removed

[@suzyqualcast6269]

She's had the money, dumped the gong.

[@Mike_5]

Fujitsu who supplied the IT system knew that it had very serious faults

[@davidbamford1971]

This is all about the worst of modern society. These are good decent people who dedicated their lives to the community and the post office. They were hounded by the greedy corporation the post office has become.

[@importantname]

this has been going on for 25 years - PM says we should investigate!!!! Seriously why have a government this ineffective?

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Not just this government, it's Labour too.

[@user-ol6rd7pl5t]

The whole honours system should be scrapped.

[@andrewoliver8930]

Royalty, Lords, Barons, Bishops etc should all be scrapped off. It's an us and them system that favours them.

[@gizmo5601]

What price for loss of your livelihood, reputation, possibly criminal record and financial ruin due to Post Office lies? £20k, £200k, more? Surely many of these individuals and their families should be receiving hundreds of thousands if not more? And not just the tax payer but Fujitsu should be on the hook for hundreds of millions for designing a system without security, lack of audit trail and controls and lying and covering up that entries were being made to sub postmaster’s accounts without their knowledge.

[@CC-hx5fz]

These people deserve a lifechanging amount of compensation.

[@Stephen0988]

£2.5 Million each.

[@Farzocalypse21]

We've known about this gross miscarriage of justice for years. The PM only gets involved and starts acting aghast after an ITV drama gets aired bringing it to popular attention. It's almost as if he's not really interested in justice, just the appearance of justice in a popular cause.

[@MetalMew2]

Individual citizens were let down by the government and The UK justice system was incredibly complicit in violating any microcosm of fair or factual inquiries into the malfeasance both government, IT company, and the post office higher ups bloated themselves on profits from crime. They should be able to collectively fix their industry standards by using executive skills to not be consciously evil.

[@GrandslamTim1]

theyve only reacted because of the ITV drama and the huge public reaction - they were content to keeping stum for over 20 years - shameless politicians

[@jimdee9801]

Lets not forget it was Andrew Bridgen the only devent mp that saved these innocent post masters not Sunak snake

[@andrewoliver8930]

Others were involved. There are still some good MPs.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Andrew Bridgen is not decent, Google the "MP who lied in court". A High Court judge described him as a man who could not be trusted.

[@Whoodoo1]

No talk, just do it, and take away all her bonus she got too, get her to pay it back, and all the seniors who benefited from it, thats where the money went, set an example

[@jonathanpercevalmaxwell8651]

Incredible man... balanced and stoic.... I am impressed

[@Yeah-Buddy-Lightweight]

Tories only care now because of what happens this year. GE looming and Sunak all of a sudden caring lol. Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss never cared before either. Truss was busy bigging up pork markets, remember.

[@hayleyb2254]

Tony Blair pushed the Horizon system through even though people were telling him it wasn't fit for purpose. He needs to take some responsibility too.

[@chucky2316]

​@@hayleyb2254lmao 😂

[@hayleyb2254]

@@chucky2316 ?

[@chucky2316]

@@hayleyb2254 when ever anything dodgy is involved tony isint too far behind. I laughed because I have utter contempt for the bloke

[@hayleyb2254]

@@chucky2316 same! Nothing will happen to old Teflon Tony though unfortunately. It never does!

[@jonr6680]

I don't know much about law but this is surely a classic case of the peasants versus the establishment - and it can't possibly have been ignored by all the LEGAL professionals putting these cases together, the trials, the prosecutions... Many people and the system itself were at fault, not just some token head. It's like institutional racism, only these legal professionals must have believed that the defendants were somehow inferior to them, and so in their mind obviously guilty - like Victorian England. It's impossible to imagine TWO identical cases being brought before suspicion was raised concerning the computer evidence. Or THREE.... But this is HUNDREDS of people who CLEARLY don't fit the profile of ANY kind of criminal. Makes me ashamed and terrified of this country. And Rishi wants to play the good guy now? He is part of the problem.

[@andrewoliver8930]

The folks at the top with their knighthoods and CBEs etc are a club. Whilst we have an unelected King, Lords and Dames, Barons etc, we'll continue to be crapped on whilst they carry on regardless.

[@wendyturney8914]

Compensation will need to be in stages - all convictions quashed, monies which were not owed should be immediately repaid, plus any obvious expenses caused, then finally compensation for difficulties, pain caused and any other incidental expenses - without any budget restrictions. This is the very least our government owes them. I don't want to say what I would like to happen to those who caused it and those who took part.

[@Penyfanpond]

That's why we used to have Unions, to fight for their workers. If these sub postmasters had all turned to their Union for help, they would have realised long ago that they were NOT 'The only ones'.. I also think Fujitsu played a huge part in the corruption and should be hit with a million pounds per postmaster payout!

[@niccolamachiavelli8094]

If only the Prime Minister had been as keen to sort out this scandal, been known about for many years, as he was when Farage had his bank account closed

[@skymanifest8339]

Whataboutery. Sunak hasn't been PM for many years. Further, bank accounts being closed for wrongthink is also a long running issue which Farage highlighted. But you didn't care about that affect on ordinary working-class people, did you, Marxoid?

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Not just this PM and not just the Conservative ones either.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

Sonia Poulson has made a YT video explaining that Vennells’ predecessor was just as bad as Vennells. But his name wasn’t mentioned in the ITV film because he is on ITV’s Board of Directors or something.

[@andrewoliver8930]

Adam Crozier. The CEO of Fujitsu from 2014 to 2018 is married to a cabinet minister. It's a small world at the top, isn't it?

[@Madonnalitta1]

I worked at the PO for over 10 years. The Horizon system was never quite right. People were terrified of their stock/money being incorrect - every penny unaccounted for came from your own pocket.

[@marknicholson2281]

Sunak lied when he said this was something that happened in the 90s. It was still going on 5 years ago. It’s also true that the Post Office have spent as much on Lawyers as they have given out in compensation. They say that there is no way to give a blanket authority to dismiss all the convictions. It has been done before when a witness has been proved to have lied. A quick review of each case to see if there was any evidence other than that provided by the Horizon system should mean 90% could be squashed immediately.

[@rb1062]

I'm also intersted in who recommended Vennells for a CBE.

[@CC-hx5fz]

That decision reflects badly on their own competence.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

King Charles gave it to her. He should have refused.

[@chucky2316]

Tony blair😂

[@jonathanenglish2024]

This has happened right across the public sector "lying for corruption": Post Office, Ofsted, No10, Brexit, etc. etc.

[@JugglinJellyTake01]

It is the role of the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate breaches which must have been reported by the Post Office. Even more so when a series of apparent breaches result in a prosecution. 1) What was reported to the FCA? 2)What action did they take on each of the cases? 3) What stats did they keep on the cases? 4) What information did they demand from Fujitsu? 5) What were governments roles in this? We have seen HMRC negotiating with companies for reduced tax liabilities it seems unlikely that the FCA were not informed.

[@justlooking3572]

What I find more concerning is that the "supposedly" best legal system in the world, failed to get to the truth and carried out a corporations wishes on the basis of lies? What is the point of a justice system that cant deliver justice?

[@JamesBoslem-fh9gr]

WTF are we using the term COMPENSATION ????????? Currently it’s simply returning the money that was falsely taken WITH INTEREST. Money that some of these people were bankrupted by and lost their homes (and in at least 4 cases their lives). That money would have went to enhanced profits that were used to pay executive bonuses, which should be clawed back WITH INTEREST. Only when that’s done, should we be talking about COMPENSATION Sickening to see Rat Features trying to piggy back on this to boost his election profile when he’s failing on virtually everything

[@michaelmouse4024]

Vennels should be investigated but she is just one part of the problem - local MPs, the police, the courts, judges, various local authorities and local papers failed in their guiding principles and actual processes of professional intelligence and/or diligence. 700 postmasters all suddenly start breaking the law at the same time yet no MP or policeman or solicitor or Councillor thought this is a bit of an odd coincidence? Cameron and May and Johnson and Truss and Sunak also stink - they all knew.God bless Private Eye, bbc radio 4 and Toby Jones

[@TruthBot1984]

Haha Richy Rich is on it....when is he ever on anything...Still at least he sorted out the small boats..😂😂😂

[@EdwardThatch-ee7yx]

Under section 6.2 of the Prosecution Act of 1985, Sir Keir Starmer had the power to take over private prosecutions. It is unbelievable that Keir didn’t know what was happening. There were not one or two cases but 736 cases!! 736 people were wrongly convicted and four people are known to have taken their own lives. So the question is what was Keir doing 736 times?? There are questions for him to answer!! Why won’t he answer them??

[@kirkhunter146]

Nice try at pinning it on Starmer. It wasn't up to him to decide guilt, he wasn't the judge. All of the Judgements were based on "evidence" provided by the PO. It since became known there were issues with the accounting software and the PO knew this at the time it was prosecuting these people. How is that Starmer's fault, he wasn't aware of it, he's not a mind reader and was not privy to the info. Nice try, sorry you can't blame Starmer, now go back to tugging off over Rishi, Tory boy.

[@EdwardThatch-ee7yx]

@@kirkhunter146 The Crown Prosecution Service has admitted it may have been involved in 99 Post Office prosecutions involving the defective Horizon IT system, according to a leaked letter seen by The Telegraph...

[@EdwardThatch-ee7yx]

@@kirkhunter146 The Crown Prosecution Service has admitted it may have been involved in 99 Post Office prosecutions involving the defective Horizon IT system, according to a leaked letter seen by The Telegraph...

[@ispy3836]

Steal a little get jailed, steal a lot get a royal reward. Jail them and jail the corrupt individuals who were complicit.

[@TheB031]

Sickening miscarriage of justice which has destroyed many people. Negligence, incompetence by senior management at the time who should be held to account.

[@annafuller8198]

It just lacks words to describe what all those people has gone through in their lives... Alan Bates well a true hero encouraged people to write to local MPs about the case. The least we can all do trying to help.

[@tullochgorum6323]

They weren't "on it" till they were shamed by a TV docudrama.

[@neilfoster814]

The judges who handed down these false convictions should also be disbarred and convicted for perverting the course of justice. 10 years in prison should be about right.

[@WhichDoctor1]

That’s a bit much. Convictions were reached on the basis of outright lies and faked evidence provided by the post office and Fujitsu. In the uk legal system it isn’t the job of judges to challenge the veracity of evidence it’s the job of the the opposing lawyers. The fault lies with the people who committed perjury in court to protect their corporate interests, not necessarily the judges who were lied to

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Judges didn't, juries did based on the evidence given. Those who knowingly gave false evidence should be prosecuted.

[@saltnessmonster]

Andrew Bridgen was the only MP to believe them from 2010, everyone else ignored it. Also Blair bought the IT system for £800 million for DWP, but it never worked so he gave it to the Post Office to save face.

[@andrewoliver8930]

I thought James Arbuthnot supported them early on. He also stated other MPs helped but didn't get any recognition. It looks as though some of the MPs are decent folks.

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Why would anyone believe the MP who lied in court and described by a High Court Judge as a man who couldn't be trusted ?

[@susieduzie466]

This should have have been done years ago, her CBE withdrawn & the sub postmasters taken care of. It’s disgusting

[@larsfillmore4765]

Why did it take a TV drama to be aired to finally kick the politicians into action? That's almost as shocking as those cnuts in the Post Office!

[@pjconey]

How about jailing the corrupt executives? Nope, can't do that.

[@Ackie4966]

She should be in the dock. Having her CBE removed will not be sufficient punishment as she will retain her comfortable lifestyle no matter what. She will not feel the pain the victims of this scandal have experienced. the removal of her award is a smokescreen in the hope those without power will accept this as justified. I say let her keep her CBE and put her in the dock along with the others. Let's start with anyone at the post office who starts or includes in their defense 'lessons have been learned' or will be learned'.This is a disgrace over the coming months we are going to find out which lesser minion will be thrown under the bus

[@timfallon8226]

All the money that Horizon wrongly said the post masters had to pay back, where did it go? How come no one could see that there was a huge surplus of cash building up? Who got that cash?

[@domispablo7992]

In my opinion the IT company is the one who needs to be punished as they tjough unintentionally had a massive role to play in this scandal

[@johnhodgetts2111]

This woman was only awarded the CBE in 2019. There was A LOT of information about the cases at that time (e.g., Private Eye reports, PC Magazine reports & BBC journalists). Why the change now, Fishy? He was happy with it a few years ago (as were his Tory predecessors). Too hot to handle now.

[@davidwarnes5158]

Why has this come to a head , because of a film , the government , police and pcs have known about this for several years , was starma at the pcs at this time , ? The government wanted to brush it under the carpet as usual,

[@Stephen0988]

Politicians are culpable for wrecking lives and our country we need a new way.

[@DrMontague]

Paula Vennells should be jailed

[@guljabar8982]

Jokers

[@user-rt2ri5ft5v]

MP's have been useless on this issue for 20 years, are we supposed to believe they'll do any thing now? Placatye the public is their priority.

[@seanmcgarrigan3942]

Who give out the CBE ? Correction who put her name forward on their list to be honoured ?

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

The monarch gives out all honours.

[@roybatty2030]

After years of trying to ignore this issue, Sunak trying to jump on the bandwagon speeding away from him

[@user-bu9nb8wr6e]

I'd like to see a review of Sunaks actions after this was brought up in parliament on numerous occasions. Sunak saying he is on it is yet another lie. He is getting like trump with his gaslighting and BS. It needs to be a criminal offence to lie to the public if an MP.

[@JohnWaller-nv1sq]

This man dos deserve a CBE or more I can't believe he's so humble and not calling for heads to roll good on you mate

[@ytjepool754]

About stolen biciclettes 😢 my goodness its getting worse. Now bikes ar stolen. And the balloons !!!!

[@mikeanderson7549]

You British?

[@johannesnicolaas]

Oh at last the PM takes firm action....! Withdraw the CBE... I am impressed. Such a brave and impressive action... haha.....

[@TheHandsomeman]

The new post offices owners are skimming the place now, that's why the prices are rising, the managers and the share holders. Postmen know it.

[@jonathanpercevalmaxwell8651]

Yes and companies responsible - Fujitsu...

[@theancientwinebeerexperime2273]

Wheres the money gone and what has the current CEO done to solve the problem whilst he kills the PO with electric vehicle's on behalf of ESG investment? PS no one seems to talk to Andrew Bridgen who has always been a champion for the Post Masters?

[@theotheoth]

Rishi: "The money has been set aside." Question1: How much money is that? Will it be enough to compensate for the near 2 decades of suffering and lost health and earnings and good name (not to mention the suicides) of so many innocent people? Question 2: Did this set-aside cash come from the taxpayers' pocket? Why don't you strip everyone responsible of their assets and self-awarded bonuses, throw them in cells and hand everything over to the victims? Question 3: WHY NOW, Rishi? Why now, when your Tory government ignored it and allowed it to continue for so many years? How many of those years were you in that government, Rishi, and ignoring it? Could it be you're now looking to seem like the hero riding into town to save the good guys, and just in time for the election? Question 4: Do you know how sick I feel whenever I hear you speak?

[@mindfulawareness1]

This is extremely disturbing. None of us are safe if this can happen, and only come to light because of one true hero and a TV drama.

[@idonthavealoginname]

This is gold for the Tories as it takes the spotlight away from their incompetence.They are all out today pointing the finger at Edd Davey .

[@andrewoliver8930]

They certainly won't point it at the Fujitsu CEO from 2014-2018. I wonder why?

[@user-ol3xe5fz4u]

this govt is all about read and react to media...

[@janeday9148]

Sunak & Starmer have done nothing over the years Vennells should be prosecuted

[@EdwardThatch-ee7yx]

Sir Keir Starmer needs to explain why he did not intervene in the Horizon Post Office scandal when director of public prosecutions. Sir Keir, held the position between 2008 and 2013 before moving into politics. His time in the role overlapped part of the period in which Post Office branch managers were convicted because of the Horizon computer system showing that money was missing.

[@rachelhoward334]

Says the man who stands as our PM ,unelected to the post , taking £millions from the purse and a disaster for our country.. such irony .

[@JRattheranch]

What a modest, sincere man he is! He deserves the highest recognition, way above "what's her name!" 🙏💪

[@mrlions994]

Who owns and or has shares in Fujitsu? And where did the money go?

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

It's listed on the Tokyo stock exchange. Your Pension Fund may have some shares ?

[@mrlions994]

@@jjefferyworboys8138 Thanks will look up the exchange.

[@belkentens]

Distraction Nothing about the German farmers No farms no food

[@kaisgzara4302]

This really happened ? in the UK ! ! no way ?!

[@bendarling5573]

A fraud conviction is particularly nasty. I believe it means you can, for example, never have a bank account again.

[@jas20per]

The PM has more face than the town hall clock, Ruanda was at first not good but now he says it is fine. Thus proving the old saying "you know when a politician is lying to you, its the moment they open their mouths, he could have done something about this travesty when he was chancellor of the exchequer.

[@davidnichol6282]

From what has been reported there seems to have bugs in the software system how long was this known about. ? Why were the wrong calculations not reported sooner and all the human misery might not have taken place at all.

[@jonb4020]

It's not just the Post Office: there are several organisations connected with the State that investigate, prosecute and convict people with little legal oversight and no independent legal process. Lives and careers can be ruined by incompetent or even malicious, unqualified people where the process is not under the control of a judge and not subject to the normal rules of evidence and and the accepted norms of fairness that the legal system in the UK tries to uphold.

[@dbec5224]

It needs post office management, fujitsi management and ministers aware of this in jail.

[@maxbrown7481]

Sir Alan Bates - Make it happen

[@theotheoth]

Hats off to Mr Bates. Yes, he comes across just like his portrayal in the drama: practical, humble, even-tempered, ever-optimistic. It must be some compensation to have the great Toby Jones cast as him.

[@problemsolverthinktank859]

If Rishi wants to give us peace of mind then call a General Election.

[@Lindowman888]

What about others who should have honours withdrawn

[@bomberdores1]

He couldn’t speed up his car never mind this disgraceful saga

[@Stephen0988]

Crimes of corruption and maleficence in public office are there for a reason it is time that the Police and Security services took their jobs and work seriously.

[@gordonlinton3555]

There is a sense that this should have been reaction years ago. You didn't have to be Sherlock Holmes to recognise that wide scale postmaster fraud all over the country at the same time through a new computer system was a HUGE red flag. I'd like to see what MP's replied to constituents who asked for help. I notice you didn't mention MP Andrew Bridgen, who has been chasing this down since the start.

[@chrysalis4126]

Paula Vennels is now in charge of an NHS trust!!

[@laetitialogan2017]

Scandalous..poor people....