May’s Government ‘pushed by way of’ Paula Vennells CBE regardless of Horizon considerations
Theresa May’s Government reportedly pushed by way of an honour for former Post Office boss Paula Vennells regardless of considerations being raised over the Horizon IT scandal.
Ms Vennells was put ahead for a CBE within the 2019 New Year Honours listing by the Department for Business, though the-then Business Secretary Greg Clark was not concerned.
The knowledge of awarding her with a gong was reportedly mentioned by the principle honours committee in October 2018 amid a rising clamour over the scandal, sources informed the Sunday Times. But although a bunch motion from 555 sub-postmasters was heading for the High Court, her nomination was rubber stamped after which signed off by the-then Prime Minister Mrs May.
Give Alan Bates a knighthood for exposing Post Office scandal
It is time for Alan Bates to be honoured with a knighthood or CBE after former Post Office boss Paula Vennells handed again her gong.
The former postmaster has led the decades-long battle to show the Horizon IT scandal. He has change into a nationwide treasure after hundreds of thousands watched his lengthy and painful battle for justice portrayed within the ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office.
Usually honours are introduced to mark the New Year and the Monarch’s birthday, however in particular circumstances they may also be awarded at different occasions.
So Rishi Sunak, give Alan Bates an honour now.
Sign our petition HERE to demand Alan Bates will get an honour.
Sources instructed the considerations had been “brushed aside” and one instructed Ms Vennells was being rewarded for taking a tricky stance on controlling price. “This was her reward for bending her conscience and holding the line,” the supply informed the paper.
Ms Vennells mentioned final week that she would hand over her CBE within the wake of a livid public backlash to the ITV drama ‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office‘. More than 1.2 million individuals signed a petition demanding she be stripped of the honour.
In an announcement, she mentioned: “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.”
A spokeswoman for Mrs May mentioned: “The honours system is an independent process which awards honours to more than 2,000 people each year. Recipients are announced biannually and each recommendation is considered by one of ten honours committees with the final list being agreed by the Main Honours Committee.
“As Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, always respected the independence of this system but thinks it is right that Paula Vennells has handed back her CBE.”
