During the recent public inquiry, Paula Vennells, former CEO of the Post Office, disclosed that the government was informed of the Post Office’s decision to request the removal of the High Court judge from the organization’s legal battle with subpostmasters. This decision was made after the judge criticized the Post Office during the initial phase of the trial.
In March 2019, the trial was halted when the Post Office questioned Justice Peter Fraser’s impartiality and requested his removal from the case. This move was seen as a delaying tactic by the Post Office to increase costs and pressure the subpostmasters to settle. Despite spending over £100m in legal fees and appealing a major judgment, the Post Office eventually lost the legal battle and settled with the subpostmasters in December 2019.
During the inquiry, Vennells revealed that government officials were present at board meetings since 2012 when the Post Office separated from Royal Mail. She also confirmed that the government was aware of the Post Office’s strategy during the case, including the attempt to remove Judge Fraser.
Various parties, including campaigner Alan Bates and the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, had raised concerns about the Post Office’s actions, and Vennells believed that the government was aware of their views. The government’s involvement in approving the Post Office’s strategy has raised questions about its role in the prolonged legal battle.
The Post Office Horizon scandal, exposed by Computer Weekly in 2009, led to the overturning of wrongful convictions, a public inquiry, and the government committing over £1bn towards compensating victims. The revelations from the inquiry shed light on the government’s awareness and potential approval of the Post Office’s controversial tactics in the legal battle.