Hi everyone
I hope you’re surviving the heat. I know I’ve been doing a lot of moaning about the Inquiry recently, but the hearing room’s rather fierce aircon was welcome today.
Former Post Office non-executive Susannah Storey was the last witness before summer break. She seemed bright, capable and was either blessed or cursed with an accent so posh she could easily pass for a minor royal.
Sadly with regard to her job at the Post Office it was almost impossible to discern anything Storey had done throughout her two year tenure.
NEDdy ThreeGoons
We have now heard from three Post Office shareholder NEDs. Tom Cooper spotted the disaster from a mile out, put two and two together, tried in a very limited way to do something about it and failed. Richard Callard actively colluded with the Post Office to mislead ministers and Susannah Storey, as far as I can make out, did nothing of note whatsoever.
It made for a tedious final day of evidence, but your correspondent has nonetheless written it up for your reading “pleasure” here – Ghost Storey.
You can also read The Guardian’s write up by Jane Croft, who I first met at the High Court during Bates v Post Office when she was covering this story for the FT. Jane’s piece is called: “Post Office board ‘felt blindsided’ by rushed out, critical 2013 report“
The never-ending compensation journey
Subpostmasters who have had their convictions overturned have now got a formal redress scheme to join, a mere 3.5 years after the first convictions were quashed.
The government will be pleased by the “unlimited” spin which has been put on what will undoubtedly prove to be another gruelling and tedious experience for those who want proper compensation for what they were put through.
As Janet Skinner, who went to prison, said on twitter: “I very much doubt this unlimited statement. All we are asking for is what we are owed, nothing more nothing less. The new minister needs to be speaking to people like me, Lee Castleton and Tracy Felstead [as to] how we are being treated.”
More on the Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme here.
Court in Otley
Speaking of Janet, I wonder if I could just give you another reminder that I will be at the Otley Courthouse in Yorkshire with Janet for a matinée and evening talk about the Post Office scandal on Friday 22nd November.
There are about 10 tickets left for the 7.30pm session and the 2pm session is doing well enough to probably sell out, so if you were thinking of coming along, please get your tickets before I start plugging it properly in September. I don’t think I’m going to do any other public events now before Christmas.
Holiday time
I’m going to try to avoid doing much work over the next couple of weeks which means I am unlikely to be sending out many newsletters. Thanks very much for all the correspondence over the past few weeks – whether it’s corrections, ideas, questions, criticism and encouragement. It’s all very welcome and keeps me going.
I hope you have a great summer and manage to avoid doing too much work.
Very best
Nick