Have I Got News For You’s Ian Hislop applauded after leaving Lib Dems chief Sir Ed Davey squirming over Post Office scandal
Ian Hislop has been hailed by social media users after he tore in to Sir Ed Davey on Have I Got News For You over the Post Office scandal.
On Friday night’s episode, which featured guest appearances from Sir Ed and comedian Rachel Parris, team captain Hislop took a swipe at the Liberal Democrats leader after the topic of the civil service was raised.
More than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.
But in total there were potentially more than 3,000 victims in the scandal through Post Office criminal and private prosecutions, civil claims and contract withdrawals. Many are still awaiting compensation.
When asked by Paul Merton what his opinion was on the civil service, Sir Ed Davey said: ‘I’m always very careful about talking about the civil service because half of them are Liberal Democrat party members.’
Hislop, 64, was quick to respond to Davey’s comment, saying: ‘Though you did blame your civil servants didn’t you? Over the Post Office – I think you did. I hate to bring it up this early [in the programme].’
Sir Ed was left scrambling for a response, before pointing at Hislop saying: ‘You worked out they were lying to everybody earlier than most.
‘But you didn’t,’ Hislop retorted, before Sir Ed apologised and added: ‘No, I didn’t, no, and I’m really sorry that I didn’t and that’s why the inquiry is so important.’
Ian Hislop has been applauded by social media users after he tore in to Sir Ed Davey on Have I Got News For You over the Post Office scandal
Sir Ed Davey was left scrambling for a response to Hislop’s comment
Earlier this year, Sir Ed accused civil servants and the Post Office of ‘lying to him’ about the Horizon scandal when he was postal affairs minister during the coalition government between 2010 and 2012.
In a TV interview Sir Ed insisted he had been misled by those around him when he backed the prosecutions.
‘I wish I’d known then what we all know now – the Post Office was lying on an industrial scale to me and other ministers,’ he told Sky News.
‘When I met Alan Bates and listened to his concerns, I put those concerns to officials in my department, to the Post Office, to the National Federation of Postmasters. And it’s clear they all were lying to me.
‘My heart goes out to all those people, we need to make sure their convictions are overturned and we need to make sure they are fairly compensated and quickly.’
But Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union for civil servants, branded Sir Ed’s comments as ‘outrageous’ and claimed they were an ‘act of desperation from a former minister trying to save his own skin’.
Taking to social media after Friday’s episode, people praised Hislop for his jibe and for standing up for the postmasters and postmistresses.
One person said: ‘Ian Hislop standing up for the post masters and mistresses that the Tory government never compensated in full like they said they would made my day.’
Taking to social media after Friday’s episode, people praised Hislop for his jibe and for standing up for the postmasters and postmistresses
Another wrote: ‘Well done Ian Hislop. It’s time this ridiculous clown had his feet held to the fire over previous misdemeanors. His mishandling of the Post Office scandal as Minister responsible was disgraceful.’
Another added: ‘Great to watch Davey squirm.’
It comes as Hislop was hit by an electric bike as he crossed the road earlier this week, leaving him needing medical treatment and a head bandage.
The Private Eye editor was spotted out with his wife in London wearing a smart black tuxedo with a bow tie – but on the back of the Have I Got News For You star’s head was a large white bandage.
Commenting on the injury, a spokesperson for the magazine confirmed he was ‘hit by an electric bike whilst crossing the road yesterday afternoon’.
Despite the collision, he was said to be ‘okay’ after receiving medical treatment for his injuries.
Meanwhile, dozens of people suspected of criminal offences in the Post Office Horizon scandal are being investigated in the largest police inquiry in history.
About 100 officers from forces across the country have been drafted in to investigate one of Britain’s most widespread miscarriages of justice.
Police are now investigating potential charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice linked to the wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters and the wider presentation of the Horizon IT system as robust.
Detectives are looking at dozens of ‘persons of interest’ including those at senior levels within the Post Office and Fujitsu who were responsible for the software, as well as others in the legal profession involved in the wrongful prosecutions.
No charges will be made until after the ongoing public inquiry publishes its report.
