The Man Who Called Time

Am I allowed to feel an element of anticipatory sympathy for Simon Clarke? It may be misplaced. Clarke wrote the First Clarke Advice, which put a javelin through the spokes of the Post Office’s prosecution machine. But his actions around Seema Misra in particular need thorough examination. This is what I suspect they’ll get today.

How is it that having effectively stopped the first phase of scandal (the prosecution of innocent people), Clarke got embroiled in the second phase (the cover up) by withholding Second Sight’s interim report and the Helen Rose report from Seema Misra.

And why is it, having declared Gareth Jenkins a hopelessly tainted witness, he did not immediately call Seema Misra’s legal team (morning Issy) and let her know she might want to start preparing an appeal.

We’ll soon find out

Clarke gives evidence at the Inquiry today, and (trains willing) I’ll be there to watch it. I hope for his sake it’s not as bad as the Martin Smith car crash.

Now – apologies to everyone for not providing a direct link to my Belinda Cortes-Martin story yesterday. I was in such a hurry I failed to format the newsletter properly. Cortes-Martin was the Post Office’s spy on the Complaint and Mediation Scheme Working Group, undermining Second Sight by trying to get them off the Scheme whilst at the same time providing them with a supposedly neutral secretariat.

Should I fail to link to any articles in future, please note that unless I state specifically otherwise, all my blog posts about the Inquiry can be found on the Post Office Scandal website, under the heading Latest Blog Posts.

There is a link to the Post Office Scandal website at the bottom of every newsletter which should allow you navigate your way to a lot of my work under your own steam.

Please remember that you don’t need to be reliant on me telling you where these blog posts are. If you go to the Post Office Scandal front page and use the email sign-up box, you will receive each new blog post via email within an hour of it being published. This is a free service for subscribers and non-subscribers alike, but it is powered by your donations.

Big Bri – Kahuna Matata

Here is a link to my latest blog post, on the performance of Brian Altman KC at the Inquiry yesterday. Whilst Clarke may have become complicit in the cover-up, Altman was a big figure in orchestrating it (consciously or otherwise), something which was not put directly to him yesterday.

Someone of Altman’s stature could easily have told the Post Office that the right thing to do was march straight to the CCRC and/or Court of Appeal and candidly tell them something very serious had happened.

I think it is reasonably certain (given how much they appeared to hang off his every word) the Post Office would have complied.

Instead, Brian put in place the legal bulwark to his client’s indefensible position and laughably declared the Post Office investigation and prosecution function to be working in a “well-organised, structured and efficient manner”.

He came to this conclusion after meeting Jarnail Singh, for goodness’ sake.

Horizon Scandal Fund

I’ve got a full day at the Inquiry, followed by a meeting of the Horizon Scandal Fund trustees. My work following this story means that I have been in the hands of David, Helen, Varchas, Sandra, Eleanor and Nicola who have been working tirelessly to apportion donations to those who have applied to the fund for help. I’ve read about some heartbreaking situations in recent weeks.

We are all volunteers dealing with a number of applications, and have not had the time to put together another newsletter providing information about some of the people the charity has been able to help, but please be assured we are providing support to dozens of people, some in desperate need. The trustees are working hard to ensure that grants will have the maximum impact.

Swindon on Monday

Don’t forget to come to Swindon next week. It’s a lovely (ahem) railway town very close to the M4 and it is the only night left on the Post Office Scandal – the Inside Story tour which is very many ticket sales away from selling out.

Chelmsford next Thursday is a sell out with a few tickets available for the other remaining dates in Guildford, Devon, Dorset and Somerset, but if you happen to run a school or large-ish cult and live in Wiltshire, please consider bulk buying tickets for Swindon. We can currently accommodate several coachloads.

Hello and thank you

Finally, a warm welcome to all our new subscribers. It’s always good to know how you stumbled in here. If you ever want to tell me something, just hit reply. I do read everything I get sent, even if I can’t always respond.

Have a lovely day. I’ll leave you with a photo of the tireless campaigner Chris Head and his mum Sue at a Buckingham Palace garden party yesterday. Ah….

Post Office Scandal – The Inside Story

In April and May 2024, I’ll be visiting various theatres in towns around England.

At each venue I’ll be joined by a former Subpostmaster. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the scandal.

All the dates and box office links are here. Please do have a look, see if there’s a venue near you, and if you fancy it, book a couple of tickets. Please also feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends who may live near a venue!

I’ll be around after each show in the foyer or bar and look forward to saying hello if you can make it.