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Andy Dunks’ Big Problem
Read More…: Andy Dunks’ Big ProblemFujitsu’s Andy Dunks has a problem. He signed dozens, possibly hundreds of witness statements attesting to the integrity of the Horizon IT system without, it seems, taking the relevant amount of care to see if the information he put in his witness statements was true. These witness statements were used in the successful prosecutions of Subpostmasters. Today was about was probing to what extent Dunks knew (or should have known) the information he was presenting (or the way he was presenting it) was inadequate. Unlike his previous appearance before the Inquiry, Dunks was given a reminder of his privilege against…
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Davey briefed to dismiss Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance Concerns in 2010
Read More…: Davey briefed to dismiss Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance Concerns in 2010The first meeting between Alan Bates from the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA) and a government minister took place on 5 October 2010. Ed Davey was, at the time, the Liberal Democrat minister responsible for the Post Office within the coalition government. The date was crucial: the trial of Seema Misra was less than a week away, and Channel 4 News were thinking of running something about the JFSA’s claims. Today the briefing note sent to Ed Davey by Mike Whitehead (a civil servant from the Shareholder Executive which monitored the Post Office Inquiry on behalf of the Business Department)…
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Read stands aside to focus on Inquiry
Read More…: Read stands aside to focus on InquiryNick Read is stepping back from frontline duties as Post Office CEO to focus on Phase 7 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry. In an all-staff newsletter, sent today, Read wrote: “Following a discussion with Post Office Chair, Nigel Railton and the Board, we have agreed that I should give my entire attention to the task of preparing the business for Phase 7… It is vitally important that we demonstrate the changes we have made and give confidence to the Inquiry and the country at large that ‘nothing like this could happen again’.” Phase 7 of the Inquiry is…
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Poor Tom
Read More…: Poor TomTom Cooper was pitched into the Post Office madness quite late in the scandal. He joined UK Government Investments in 2017, and became UKGI’s man on the Post Office board in March 2018 whilst it was already embroiled in litigation with with its Subpostmasters and careering towards the first of two disastrous High Court trials. Cooper is an accountant by trade, starting at KPMG before becoming an investment banker at UBS and Deutsche Bank. The handover with his predecessor Richard Callard (giving evidence on Friday) was not auspicious. Callard apparently reassured Cooper (per Second Sight’s interim report conclusions in 2013)…
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Robert Swannell – Culture, Curiosity and Risk
Read More…: Robert Swannell – Culture, Curiosity and RiskRobert Swannell is a former accountant and barrister with more than thirty years experience as an investment banker and director of large companies (including six years as chair of Marks and Spencer). He is therefore a big deal. Big deals rarely feel they get things wrong. Swannell had two articles of faith – the first was that he massively improved the Shareholder Executive/UK Government Investments risk reporting whilst he was at the organisation (ShEx became UKGI) and the second was that ShEx/UKGI’s failure to spot the Post Office scandal until March 2019 was because up until that point the Post…
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Down ShEx – UKGI on heat (maps) and relish
Read More…: Down ShEx – UKGI on heat (maps) and relishMark Russell has, in one form or another, been involved in the corporate governance of the Post Office from 2004 to today. He joined the government’s Shareholder Executive (ShEx) in 2004, became its CEO and then in 2014, when ShEx was absorbed into UK Government Investments (UKGI) he became CEO of that body until 2019 when he moved into a Senior Adviser and consultancy role. Russell was ultimately responsible for examining the business risks facing the government-owned Post Office, and by his own admission today, both he and his organisation completely missed the Horizon scandal until it was far too…
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Post Office Chairman Tim Parker: Fatalistic Attraction
Read More…: Post Office Chairman Tim Parker: Fatalistic AttractionThe morning started on a light note. After Tim Parker had been sworn in, Jason Beer KC, who was asking questions on behalf of the Inquiry, took him to paragraph 268 of his 136 page witness statement. Beer told the Inquiry that Parker had written about the Post Office appointing “a criminal with extensive experience to work alongside Brian Altman QC”. Beer wondered if perhaps the word “silk” was missing?Parker agreed it was.So, suggested Beer, “rather than the Post Office appointing a criminal, the Post Office would appoint a criminal silk?”“Correct”, said Parker. Glad that was tidied up. Parker’s motivations…
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Glitch: a play about Pam Stubbs and the Post Office Scandal
Read More…: Glitch: a play about Pam Stubbs and the Post Office ScandalI had the pleasure of giving Pam Stubbs a lift to Reading University yesterday where she was guest of honour at a VIP reception before a performance of Glitch, a play about Pam’s experience at the hands of the Post Office. It was a wonderful surprise to see Janet Skinner, Seema and Davinder Misra, Tracy Felstead, Jo Hamilton and Kay Linnell had also been invited. Tracy and Janet’s stories are woven into the play as stand-alone monologues. Glitch was commissioned by Reading University Law School, written by Zannah Kearns and staged by the Rabble theatre group at the Minghella Theatre…
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BBC Inside Out South – 19 Jan 2015
Read More…: BBC Inside Out South – 19 Jan 2015I don’t think this TV piece (see below) on the Post Office scandal has been available for a while. As it’s not far off its tenth anniversary, I think it’s worth posting. It features Pam Stubbs, Julian and Karen Wilson, Jo Hamilton, Noel Thomas, Issy Hogg and James Arbuthnot. It is introduced by the legend that is Jon Cuthill! The very first BBC Inside Out piece on this scandal was broadcast on 7 Feb 2011. You can watch that here, and you can read more in my book, The Great Post Office Scandal, available here. The journalism on this blog…
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Gareth Jenkins Day 3: Criminally Stupid or Holy Fool?
Read More…: Gareth Jenkins Day 3: Criminally Stupid or Holy Fool?Being involved in the criminal prosecution of anyone should focus the mind. There is a lot at stake for the individual concerned. Basic human courtesy demands you take whatever task you have or are given very seriously. Today Gareth Jenkins’ almost Olympian levels of disengagement with his wide-ranging role in helping the Post Office prosecute Subpostmasters was laid bare at the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry. For most of the day, Jason Beer KC focused on Jenkins’ involvement in the prosecution of Seema Misra. Seema, as many people reading this will know, was convicted of theft in October 2010, partly…
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