Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells ought to “voluntarily” think about handing again her CBE over the scandal, a Tory minister has urged.
It got here as Postal Minister Kevin Hollinrake was grilled on ITV’s GMB over the Post Office IT scandal as victims demanded the Government “gets moving with payments”. He admitted lots of of payouts have been but to be finalised as he confronted an interrogation by ITV’s Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley who requested: “Why can’t we just pay them the money?”
Mr Hollinrake insisted the claims have been “highly complex” and stated the Government had dedicated to a 7 August deadline for making officers. He stated: “Paula Vennells has got her CBE from services to the Post Office. I think that matter needs to be looked at.
“If I used to be Paula Vennells – finally you’ve got acquired duty for what occurred, you’re the chief govt. If I used to be Paula Vennells I’d significantly think about handing that again voluntarily”.
It comes after victims of the scandal still waiting for compensation accused the Government of dragging its heels – 24 years after their wrongful convictions for stealing. It was described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history with more than 700 branch managers prosecuted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015.
One, Alan Bates, demanded the compensation is handed over before more people die of old age, after more than 60 people have already passed away without getting a penny. He said: “Get shifting with the compensation. Don’t prolong the deadline for funds as a result of you’ll be able to’t prolong individuals’s lives.”
The former sub-postmaster, who’s performed by Toby Jones in new ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, has campaigned for two decades to expose the truth about the IT system glitches that devastated 3,500 staff.
In an update in December, the Department for Business and Trade said 93 convictions have so far been overturned while the first 27 claims have agreed full and final settlements. It said £138million has been paid out so far to over 2,700 claimants across the three Post Office compensation schemes.