Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is facing criticism for failing to support postmasters who were wrongly accused in the Horizon accounting scandal. The scandal, which involved a faulty IT accounts system, led to the prosecution of hundreds of postmasters. A recently resurfaced letter shows that Sir Ed, who was the Postal Affairs Minister at the time, turned down a request for talks with the Justice for SubPostmasters Alliance. The letter stated that a meeting would not serve any useful purpose. Sir Ed has claimed that he was misled by Post Office executives and was prevented from meeting with campaigners. However, Tory MP Paul Scully has accused him of failing his first test of leadership and attempting to cover up his actions.
Horizon accounting scandal back in the spotlight
The Horizon accounting scandal has once again come into focus following the recent ITV dramatization "Mr Bates vs The Post Office." This dramatization shed light on the wrongful prosecution of postmasters due to the faulty IT system. The renewed attention on the scandal has brought criticism against Sir Ed Davey for his handling of the situation.
Tory MP accuses Sir Ed of flunking his first test of leadership
Tory MP Paul Scully has strongly criticized Sir Ed Davey, accusing him of failing his first test of leadership. Scully argues that Sir Ed should not try to "airbrush" his actions and should take responsibility for not supporting the postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal. Scully's comments come as records show that Sir Ed did eventually meet with campaigner Alan Bates, portrayed by Toby Jones, in October 2010.
