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Rishi Sunak has announced new legislation to exonerate wrongly convicted Post Office branch managers after one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.
The prime minister also announced a new initial payment of £75,000 for certain individuals impacted by the situation.
According to Mr. Sunak, a new legislation will be implemented to ensure prompt exoneration and compensation for those who were wrongly charged in the Horizon scandal.
In a speech to the Commons, he stated, “This is undeniably one of the most egregious examples of injustice in our country’s past.”
Individuals who dedicated themselves to serving their communities had their lives and reputations ruined through no fault of their own. It is crucial that these victims receive both justice and compensation.
Postal services minister Kevin Hollinrake stated that an additional 130 individuals have come forward in light of a recent television program that dramatized the wrongful conviction.
The CCRC typically examines specific convictions and refers them to the Court of Appeal. However, only 93 out of over 700 convictions have been reversed thus far.
Take a look at the following to see how our coverage developed:
The minister has stated that the government will soon announce a “solution” to the Post Office scandal.
The minister responsible for postal services, Kevin Hollinrake, stated that the government, under Rishi Sunak’s leadership, is confident in their ability to address the convictions related to the Horizon scandal. An announcement regarding this matter is expected soon.
Mr. Hollinrake stated to Sky News on Wednesday that an announcement is forthcoming and that they have potentially found a solution.
The minister declined to make any guesses about a potential announcement, stating that a decision has not yet been fully determined and may not be made until Wednesday afternoon.
On Tuesday, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk announced that Mr. Sunak is actively exploring the possibility of passing an emergency bill to overturn all 800 convictions related to the Horizon scandal.
According to No 10, the proposed overturning of convictions was not opposed by the judiciary during meetings on Tuesday. They also stated that a plan for legislation will be revealed in the near future.
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Approximately 130 people who have been affected by the Post Office scandal have come forward following the airing of the ITV drama.
According to the postal services minister, approximately 130 individuals impacted by the Horizon scandal have stepped forward following the broadcast of a new television program that depicted the wrongful conviction.
According to Kevin Hollinrake, during an interview with Sky News, around 130 individuals have reached out to one of the main lawyers involved in this case. It is encouraging to see that people are willing to come forward and share their experiences.
The minister urged those impacted to inform either the compensation scheme or the government, with assurance that the procedures will be expedited.
The minister stated that the Post Office CEO made the correct decision in returning their CBE.
Minister of the Post Office, Kevin Hollinrake, expressed that Paula Vennells, former CEO of the Post Office, has taken a commendable action by returning her CBE.
He declined to comment on whether she should give back her bonuses for the position, stating on Times Radio that he does not support the idea of “judging by public opinion”.
But according to Mr. Hollinrake, it is definitely a possibility that certain individuals have committed criminal acts, and action must be taken if there is evidence of such behavior.
Andy Furey, a representative of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), stated that it would be fair for the individual in question to give back any bonuses they may have received from the Post Office. These bonuses are estimated to be around £2.2m.
The leader of the union has also stated that the appropriate authorities should carefully consider pursuing legal action against her.
Hollinrake states that measures are in place to guarantee the presence of witnesses at the mandated investigation.
Kevin Hollinrake, the minister of postal services, stated that there are measures in effect to ensure that witnesses are present for the official investigation of the Horizon scandal.
According to the Telegraph, an engineer who worked on the faulty software is requesting immunity for their testimony.
“The minister stated on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that if the reports are accurate, it is definitely the incorrect approach for that individual to adopt.”
He stated: “The official investigation is able to ensure that witnesses provide testimony, but it is evident that our crime agencies and police have the authority to do so.”
What is the Post Office scandal and has anyone been held responsible for it?
The erroneous convictions of numerous subpostmasters caused by flawed digital bookkeeping software has been deemed the largest occurrence of injustice in the history of the UK.
The controversy has once again gained attention due to ITV’s four-part series, “Mr Bates vs The Post Office.”
– What is Horizon?
The accounting software, Horizon IT, is owned by the Japanese company Fujitsu. It automates accounts by allowing subpostmasters to enter their sales figures through a touchscreen.
Sunak is being called upon to put a hold on Fujitsu contracts following the company’s large profits from the Post Office scandal.
As the focus shifts to the company involved in the scandal, which led to the conviction of over 700 Post Office branch managers due to the use of Fujitsu’s flawed accounting software Horizon, this issue is now in the spotlight.
Adam Forrest, our political correspondent, presents the following report:
The government minister stated that there was a proposal to pass a law that would invalidate convictions before the airing of an ITV drama.
The Minister for the Post Office, Kevin Hollinrake, has stated that the government is considering emergency measures to overturn all convictions related to the Horizon scandal.
“We are not completely dismissing that possibility, but I cannot confirm that it will be the solution we choose at this time,” he stated on BBC Radio 4’s Today program.
He stressed that the government had previously been contemplating this strategy, but the ITV drama brought attention back to the issue.
When questioned about the existence of proof for this, Mr Hollinrake responded: “We do not disclose our internal discussions about various choices within the government, and it is not within the postal affairs minister’s authority to make a decision on this particular option alone.”
He said that if a law was proposed to reverse convictions all at once, it could be viewed as meddling with the impartial court proceedings.
The government is contemplating issuing mass pardons to exonerate subpostmasters, according to a statement from a minister.
The government is contemplating granting mass pardons to exonerate numerous subpostmasters who were falsely charged with fraud by the Post Office. During an interview on Good Morning Britain, Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake suggested that a “mass annulment of all convictions” could be a possible solution. However, he also acknowledged that this would involve Parliament intervening in the independent judicial process, which is not an ideal scenario. Mr. Hollinrake stated, “We would prefer not to take such action… But given the imperfect situation we are in, it is evident that we need to consider a significant course of action.”
The Conservative Party has been accused of criticizing Ed Davey for his involvement in the Horizon scandal, which is believed to be motivated by the recent progress made by the Liberal Democrats.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, is facing criticism from the Conservative party for his progress in gaining support in traditionally Conservative areas, according to his party’s leader in Scotland.
Sir Ed served as postal affairs minister while in coalition government between 2010 and 2012 and has been accused of having “fobbed off” sub-postmasters impacted by the Horizon scandal.
On Wednesday, Kevin Hollinrake, the current minister of postal affairs, stated on Times Radio that 980 individuals were found guilty due to a malfunction in the IT system created by Fujitsu.
The amount of postal employees seeking legal representation is increasing every day.
Lawyer Neil Hudgill informed the BBC that he has received over 100 additional phone calls from Post Office sub-postmasters who have been affected by the Horizon scandal since the airing of the ITV drama.
He stated that he was “overwhelmed” with calls. Mr. Hudgill added that the number of calls is increasing every day, and many are from the children of former subpostmasters who have passed away.
Source: independent.co.uk
