Vennells explains all
Hi everyone
I’ve spent the last couple of days looking into Autumn 2013, when the Post Office went from being helpful to the JFSA and Second Sight to shutting up shop.
It’s a period which fascinates me because it’s when the cover up was decided. The individuals involved took decisions based on self-preservation rather than a just outcome. It came back to bite the institutions they worked for, but no one has taken personal responsibility for their decisions. In fact, no one has even explained them.
Your donations have entirely funded this work. Thank you.
Legislators and legal eagles
So where are we now? Well the honest answer is I’m not sure. I suspect we’re drifting along waiting for the next parliamentary showdown. The minister wants his review, the MPs want their inquiry. I have no idea how much arm-twisting is going on behind the scenes, or indeed, how much appetite there is to take on the government to force the issue. We’re heading towards the summer recess which will mean nothing happens in this story at all for a bit.
That said, I have backlog of stuff I’ve been sent by various lawyers detailing the legal activity being undertaken on behalf of Subpostmasters. There are a lot of very clever people who are pointing out the gaping holes in the justice system which allowed the Post Office to get away with what it was doing for so long. I will post up what I can when I can.
TV news
If you want to watch an excellent ten minutes of television, please do see my colleague Caroline Bilton’s great BBC North piece on Lee Castleton, Janet Skinner and Gary Brown. Three amazing people who have suffered a great deal. It starts 5m38s into the programme. The report finishes with a barnstorming interview with Karl Turner MP, who says, quite simply, the Post Office “lied”.
In preparing this email I saw that my last missive only reached 300 people. I have no idea why and I am sorry if you didn’t get it. It was sent on Monday to alert you to Post Office CEO Nick Read’s omissions in his evidence to the BEIS Select Committee. It’s here if you missed it.
Money
Finally, the JFSA’s’ campaign to raise enough money to make a complaint to the parliamentary ombudsman has 11 days to reach its £98,000 target. At the time of writing they are £40,000 short. I am sure the campaigning former Postmasters would be grateful for any more pledges or shares you are able to give them.
Have a good weekend. I’ll post part 2 of “the cover up” on Monday and email to let you know.
Yours
Nick