As former Post Office chief executive Nick Read braces for the upcoming public inquiry into the Post Office scandal, a poignant whistleblower letter has surfaced, detailing a pervasive culture of deception and cover-up within the organization that has paid him millions to rectify its past wrongdoings.
Read, who was appointed to stabilize and revamp the Post Office after the devastating treatment of subpostmasters was brought to light during the landmark 2018/19 High Court case, is allegedly presiding over a concealment operation within an organization that caters to a select group of his “favorites,” according to a group of employees. This whistleblower letter, sent in May 2023, was disclosed during a recent inquiry hearing.
In response to relentless scrutiny and mounting calls for his resignation in light of the scandal’s victims, Read announced in September that he plans to step down in March 2025. Beginning October 9, he will spend three days in the witness stand facing questions regarding the current state of the company he leads.
Staff Seeking Assistance
In a letter addressed to MPs, interim Post Office chairman Nigel Railton, public inquiry chair Wyn Williams, and lead inquiry lawyers, a group identifying themselves as “disenchanted Post Office employees” requested support to confront the “ongoing intolerable leadership and cover-up within the Post Office.”
The whistleblowers stated: “We represent a significant group from various levels of the Post Office who are exhausted from being misled, while certain managers are favored and shielded because they belong to Nick Read’s inner circle.”
They characterized the workplace environment as “terrible” and insisted that there has never been a genuine effort to rectify past injustices.
The whistleblowers expressed concerns for their safety, stating, “We prefer to remain anonymous because we do not believe there is protection under the current regime led by Nick Read. We fear our feedback would be interpreted as a critique of his leadership, leading to efforts to discredit us.” They noted that they have witnessed this pattern of behavior repeated towards many individuals in recent years.
The letter claims that there is a cover-up related to the current culture and trust within the organization. According to the whistleblowers, a recent survey of subpostmasters and staff highlighted “significant declines in culture and trust” between senior leadership and the wider workforce.
Despite repeated requests for the complete survey results, they claim Post Office executives have denied access, stating, “We are deeply frustrated that, despite several requests, we are being blocked from seeing the full results. This attempt at concealment is unacceptable, especially in light of the public inquiry and the expectation of positive change.”
Staff have only been exposed to edited results, with full “verbatim feedback” from subpostmasters and employees withheld. The whistleblowers are advocating for intervention and a thorough investigation.
Inner Circle Favoritism
The letter also highlights that senior employees perceived to be part of Read’s “inner circle” are receiving preferential treatment, including paid leave and costly legal assistance for their testimony during the public inquiry.
Additionally, the letter expresses concern regarding numerous individuals within the Post Office who have held long-term positions with inherent conflicts of interest. “They were functioning in roles connected, to varying extents, to the wrongful prosecution of subpostmasters,” the letter explains, stating nearly 120 such individuals exist, with Read allegedly refusing to proactively address the issue despite requests.
The public inquiry is currently in its seventh phase, concentrating on existing practices and procedures at the Post Office, as well as making recommendations for the future. Notable damaging revelations have already emerged regarding an ongoing project to replace the controversial Horizon system from Fujitsu, alongside an internal investigation into a senior executive who was reportedly suspended for allegedly instructing staff to “destroy or conceal” evidence pertinent to the inquiry.
Computer Weekly has reached out for comment from the Post Office.
The Post Office scandal was initially uncovered by Computer Weekly in 2009, showcasing the experiences of seven subpostmasters who faced significant challenges due to the Horizon accounting software, leading to one of the most extensive miscarriages of justice in British history.
- Additional Reading: What You Need to Know About the Horizon Scandal
- Documentary Viewing: ITV’s “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office: The Real Story”
- Further Coverage: The Post Office and Fujitsu’s Malice and Incompetence Resulting in a Substantial Taxpayer Burden.