Ex-Post Office boss Vennells will hand back CBE after 1.2million sign petition
Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells has said she will hand back her CBE with immediate effect amid fury over the Horizon IT scandal.
It comes after 1.2million people signed a petition demanding Ms Vennells was stripped of the gong after an ITV drama reignited anger over the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history. She was awarded a CBE for services to the Post Office in 2019 despite hundreds of workers' lives being torn apart over the scandal.
Up to 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully convicted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Fujitsu accounting software called Horizon made it appear as though money was missing from their outlets. Some of the workers faced financial ruin while others were imprisoned. Just 93 have had their convictions quashed and many are still waiting for compensation.
In a written statement on Tuesday Ms Vennells, who was CEO of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019, said she will continue to focus on co-operating with the public inquiry and expects to give evidence under oath in the coming months.
She said: "I have so far maintained my silence as I considered it inappropriate to comment publicly while the inquiry remains ongoing and before I have provided my oral evidence. I am, however, aware of the calls from sub-postmasters and others to return my CBE. I have listened and I confirm that I return my CBE with immediate effect."
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"I am truly sorry for the devastation caused to the sub-postmasters and their families, whose lives were torn apart by being wrongly accused and wrongly prosecuted as a result of the Horizon system. I now intend to continue to focus on assisting the inquiry and will not make any further public comment until it has concluded."
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Ms Vennells last issued a statement in April 2021 apologising to subpostmasters after 39 had their convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal in a historic judgement.
Jo Hamilton, a former subpostmistress, said she is "glad" ex-Post Office boss has handed her CBE back, but added: "It's a shame it took just a million people to cripple her conscience." Ms Hamilton, who was wrongfully convicted in 2008 of stealing thousands of pounds from the village shop in South Warnborough, Hampshire, said: "It shows the people have spoken - about everything really. It's not just about her CBE, it's about how disgusting the whole thing is.
"We're all sick and tired of people taking money, being paid exorbitant amounts of money, and politicians taking absolutely no notice of you whatsoever... I think the people are just sick of it."
In recent days ministers have been under intense pressure to act after millions watched an ITV drama which portrayed how former sub-postmaster Alan Bates helped expose the scandal. MPs and peers have demanded ministers take radical action so that justice can be delivered. The Mirror revealed last month that Mr Bates, who is played by the actor Toby Jones in the drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, turned down an OBE as others continue to suffer so badly.
He said: “The first thing that sprang to my mind while reading the letter was Paula Vennells still had a CBE. I felt so deeply insulted. She presided over a policy of harassing hundreds of innocent people. It’s not just that the Government hasn’t asked her to return it. What’s even worse is that despite knowing the strength of feeling about it, how people have suffered and some cases died on her watch – she doesn’t feel inclined to give it back.”
Downing Street declined to comment on Tuesday on whether Mr Bates could be re-nominated for an OBE following Ms Vennell’s decision to hand back her award.
The Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said on Tuesday that the Government was giving "active consideration" to the idea of legislating to quash the convictions of sub-postmasters caught up in the Horizon scandal. Former cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi urged him to bring forward a "simple bill to quash all 800" convictions immediately.
Mr Chalk told MPs it was an "appalling injustice" and Mr Zahawi's suggestion was "receiving active consideration", adding: "I expect to be able to make further announcements shortly." No10 also said Fujitsu will be "held accountable" legally or financially if the public inquiry finds it blundered in the Horizon scandal.
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The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "Our position is that once the inquiry is able to establish the facts and sets them out, those who are found responsible will be held to account, whether that is legally or financially, but again, I can't prejudge that independent work."
Asked whether the Government will stop awarding government contracts to Fujitsu, the official said: "In general, we consider companies' conduct as part of the formal procurement process. So once the full facts have been established by the inquiry, we will make further judgments but it's important we allow that process to take place."
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