DOCSLIB.ORG

Introduction

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Introduction Written evidence submitted by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) (POH0007) Introduction 1. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is the largest union in the communications sector in the UK, representing approximately 192,000 members. We are the recognised trade union for all non-managerial employee grades in the Post Office Limited (POL), where we have members in all sections of the business. Although we have subpostmasters in CWU membership, the CWU is not recognised by the Post Office for collective bargaining purposes for subpostmasters. This is something we are calling for so that subpostmasters have strong collective representation and protection through a genuinely independent trade union. 2. The Post Office Horizon IT system scandal is an outrageous miscarriage of justice caused by a series of catastrophic failures, corporate complacency and bullying, denials, cover ups and false evidence by the POL leadership over nearly two decades. The Government is also to blame for not providing the necessary oversight, control and intervention to ensure that POL was being run effectively. Fujitsu has serious questions to answer for supporting POL’s position that Horizon was robust and giving misleading evidence in court that contributed to the wrongful conviction of innocent people. It is also important that the BEIS Committee investigates the actions of the National Federation of Subpostmasters (NFSP), which refused to represent its members on this case and supported POL's position right up until the final judgment. 3. The CWU is calling for: Swift justice and exoneration for all those wrongfully convicted of criminal offences; Full compensation and reparations for all those affected. The existing compensation available to claimants after costs and fees is nowhere near adequate; An urgent judge led public inquiry to uncover the full facts and hold all those responsible to account; An independent review into the current Horizon IT system to ensure that it is fit for purpose and that previous defects have been resolved. This is vital to restore the confidence of subpostmasters and Post Office clients; Collective bargaining recognition for the CWU by the Post Office so that subpostmasters have strong collective representation through an independent trade union; A new deal for subpostmasters on pay and conditions and new contractual protections and assurances against blame for future accounting system errors; and The Post Office network and services, including Crown Offices, all POL staff and customers should not be adversely impacted in any way as a result of the Horizon scandal. To this end, the costs of civil and criminal litigation should not be borne by the Post Office, and should be the responsibility of Government. Key points 1. Impact on subpostmaster victims of false accusations and convictions 4. The High Court judgment in December 2019 ruled that the Horizon system was to blame for accounting errors that destroyed the lives of hundreds of innocent hard working people. Since Horizon was introduced by the Post Office in 2000, hundreds of subpostmasters have been falsely accused of fraud and theft. Many have been wrongfully prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned whilst others have been bankrupted and lost their homes, businesses, and their livelihoods. Some have lost their families and friends, and been forced out of their communities. Their reputations have been ruined, and they have been vilified and physically attacked for their alleged crimes.1 5. There are cases of subpostmasters who have died an early death due to ill health caused by their treatment at the hands of POL, whilst trying to restore their reputation.2 There is at least one documented case of suicide.3 Others have reported that they became suicidal or that their mental health disintegrated.4 One woman was jailed on her son’s tenth birthday whilst carrying her second child. She said she would have taken her own life if she had not been pregnant.5 Another young woman did make an attempt on her own life before being imprisoned at the age of nineteen due to a false accusation of theft, despite her family paying back the money she allegedly stole in a bid to keep her out of jail.6 She is now 36 years old and has had to suffer the mental scars of this shocking experience and endure her wrongful conviction and a criminal record her entire adult life.7 2. Post Office failures, denials and cover ups 1 Jailed Post Office worker: I wanted to kill myself, BBC News, 15th December 2019, accessed at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50756192 2 Post Office agrees to pay subpostmasters £58m compensation over false accusations of theft, The Telegraph, 11th December 2019, accessed at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/12/11/post-office-ordered-pay- subpostmasters-58m-compensation-false/ 3 Decent lives destroyed by the Post Office, Mail Online, 24th April 2015, accessed at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3054706/Decent-lives-destroyed-Post-Office-monstrous-injustice- scores-sub-postmasters-driven-ruin-suicide-computers-really-blame.html 4 Victim testimony, Post Office Trial, 23rd January 2019, accessed at: https://www.postofficetrial.com/2019/01/victims-testimony.html 5 Depression, bankruptcy and jail: why we sued the Post Office, Sky News, 15th March 2019, accessed at: https://news.sky.com/story/depression-bankruptcy-and-jail-why-we-sued-the-post-office-11623616 6 Post Office vs Mental Health: “They didn’t care that I was this scared girl” – Tracy’s story, Post Office Trial, 24th June 2019, accessed at: https://www.postofficetrial.com/2019/06/post-office-v-mental-health-they-didnt.html 7 Post Office staff are to launch Britain’s largest ever miscarriage of justice case to have theft slurs quashed, Mail Online, 3rd March 2020, accessed at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8067795/Post-Office-staff-launch- Britains-largest-miscarriage-justice-case.html 6. Long and widely held suspicions have finally been confirmed through the Horizon trial that the Post Office was well aware that there were problems with its IT system, but it aggressively denied that any faults existed and tried to suppress any evidence to the contrary. The Post Office refused to accept or publish reports produced by Second Sight, the consultancy firm it employed to investigate the Horizon system, after it revealed serious problems with Horizon technology and processes. Instead the Post Office issued counter- reports and denials. The Post Office sacked Second Sight shortly before the consultancy’s final report was circulated in 2015, and terminated the complaint and mediation scheme for subpostmasters.8 It then reportedly ordered Second Sight to hand over or destroy all material it had accumulated in the course of its two-and-a-half-year study.9 7. The evidence and the outcome of the trial clearly reveal that POL continued to prosecute its subpostmasters for alleged wrongdoing despite knowing of faults with Horizon. The High Court judge Peter Fraser said POL’s claims that Horizon was robust and could not be blamed for financial losses were wrong and “amounted, in reality, to bare assertions and denials that ignore what has actually occurred”.10 The Post Office fiercely and stubbornly protested its innocence in court, spending millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on its legal defence, challenging every minor detail and even making a desperate attempt to recuse the judge.11 Judge Fraser said the Post Office "has resisted timely resolution of this Group Litigation whenever it can”, and used the word ‘attrition’ in describing the Post Office’s approach to litigation.12 In other words, the Post Office wanted to keep throwing taxpayers’ funds at the case until the claimants ran out of money. POL’s arrogant and persistent refusal to accept it was in the wrong has prolonged the misery of hundreds of subpostmaster victims, denying them justice whilst simultaneously wasting millions in public money, damaging the Post Office’s brand reputation and with it the organisation’s future stability. 3. The need for full compensation and accountability 8. This appalling scandal has rightly been described as one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in UK history.13 The Post Office has made an apology of sorts, but under the 8 Second Sight’s Ron Warmington breaks his silence, Post Office Trial, 18th December 2019, accessed at: https://www.postofficetrial.com/2019/12/second-sights-ron-warmington-breaks-his.html 9 Post Office IT, Crash Test Dummies, Private Eye, March 2015 10 Judge rules that Post Office IT system was not remotely robust, Financial Times, 16th December 2019, accessed at: https://www.ft.com/content/07f74dda-2031-11ea-92da-f0c92e957a96 11 Post Office applies for removal of High Court judge in Horizon IT case, 21st March 2019, accessed at: https://ukcampaign4change.com/2019/03/21/post-office-applies-for-removal-of-high-court-judge-in-horizon-it- case/ 12 Blighty’s most trusted brand? Yeah you wish, judge tells Post Office in Horizon IT ruling, The Register, 16th March 2019, accessed at: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/03/15/post_office_horizon_it_system_initial_judgment/ 13 Quote from Andrew Bridgen MP, Government claims it was misled by Post Office over IT Scandal, Computer circumstances a simple apology is not acceptable. There must be full compensation for all the victims including those who paid back money they didn’t owe to avoid prosecution. All wrongful convictions must be swiftly quashed, and there must be a proper judge led public inquiry. 9. Equally, there must be accountability and consequences for senior managers of POL, including Paula Vennells and Tim Parker who have presided over this horrific situation. Paula Vennell’s position as a non-executive director of the Cabinet Office and as Chair of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust are now surely untenable and she should immediately resign or be sacked.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020
    Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020 Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020 Nic Newman with Richard Fletcher, Anne Schulz, Simge Andı, and Rasmus Kleis Nielsen Supported by Surveyed by © Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism / Digital News Report 2020 4 Contents Foreword by Rasmus Kleis Nielsen 5 3.15 Netherlands 76 Methodology 6 3.16 Norway 77 Authorship and Research Acknowledgements 7 3.17 Poland 78 3.18 Portugal 79 SECTION 1 3.19 Romania 80 Executive Summary and Key Findings by Nic Newman 9 3.20 Slovakia 81 3.21 Spain 82 SECTION 2 3.22 Sweden 83 Further Analysis and International Comparison 33 3.23 Switzerland 84 2.1 How and Why People are Paying for Online News 34 3.24 Turkey 85 2.2 The Resurgence and Importance of Email Newsletters 38 AMERICAS 2.3 How Do People Want the Media to Cover Politics? 42 3.25 United States 88 2.4 Global Turmoil in the Neighbourhood: 3.26 Argentina 89 Problems Mount for Regional and Local News 47 3.27 Brazil 90 2.5 How People Access News about Climate Change 52 3.28 Canada 91 3.29 Chile 92 SECTION 3 3.30 Mexico 93 Country and Market Data 59 ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE 3.31 Australia 96 3.01 United Kingdom 62 3.32 Hong Kong 97 3.02 Austria 63 3.33 Japan 98 3.03 Belgium 64 3.34 Malaysia 99 3.04 Bulgaria 65 3.35 Philippines 100 3.05 Croatia 66 3.36 Singapore 101 3.06 Czech Republic 67 3.37 South Korea 102 3.07 Denmark 68 3.38 Taiwan 103 3.08 Finland 69 AFRICA 3.09 France 70 3.39 Kenya 106 3.10 Germany 71 3.40 South Africa 107 3.11 Greece 72 3.12 Hungary 73 SECTION 4 3.13 Ireland 74 References and Selected Publications 109 3.14 Italy 75 4 / 5 Foreword Professor Rasmus Kleis Nielsen Director, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) The coronavirus crisis is having a profound impact not just on Our main survey this year covered respondents in 40 markets, our health and our communities, but also on the news media.
    [Show full text]
  • Private Equity Buyouts and Firm Efficiency
    Private Equity Buyouts and Firm Efficiency: Evidence from UK Public to Private Transactions Lloyd Miller A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the university’s requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy January 2014 The University of Greenwich Faculty of Business DECLARATION I certify that this work has not been accepted in substance for any degree, and is not concurrently being submitted for any degree other than that of Doctor of Philosophy being studied at the University of Greenwich. I also declare that this work is the result of my own investigations except where otherwise identified by references and that I have not plagiarised the work of others. Signed: Student ____________________________ Date________________________ Supervisor _________________________ Date_________________________ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I thank my supervisory team Dr Cesario Mateus, Dr Aleksandar Stojanovic, and Mr David Hall for their support and guidance. I would also like to thank Dr Larry Su for his critical help in defining my research questions and identifying my research techniques, and for the many hours spent with me discussing my thesis. Without the help of this supervisory team, completing this thesis would have been more difficult than it already has been. Thank you also to Professor Stephen Thomas, Director of Research, for his support, understanding and critical help in enabling me to address many of the difficult obstacles I encountered during the course of my PhD programme, and in my role of research student representative. My thanks and appreciation also to Dr Denise Hawke for her support and encouragement from the period she assumed the role of programme leader for research and MPhil./PhD programmes and for her support to bring changes to enhance the research student experience in the business school.
    [Show full text]
  • How Young People Consume News
    How Young People Consume News and The Implications For Mainstream Media A report by Flamingo commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Oxford University Contents 1 Foreword 1 Foreword 3 5 News Habits & Behaviours 18 Nic Newman, Senior Research Associate, Reuters Institute Differences across news moments 18 2 Executive Summary 4 for the Study of Journalism Media and Platforms: how young audiences are accessing the news 20 Mainstream news media has an age problem. In commissioning this report from strategic insight 3 Background, Objectives Every year, the Reuters Institute Digital News Report consultancy Flamingo, we engaged a team with a long & Methodology 6 Observing digital behaviour underlines documents how fewer young people are using traditional track record of researching the attitudes and behaviours of the preference for social media over news 21 sources of news such as television, radio and print, younger audiences and turning this into actionable insights. and how they are getting more of their news from social The methodologies chosen, which include tracking the digital 4 The Role of News Social media dominates the media and other aggregators. footprints of 20 respondents along with diaries and interviews, platforms, to varying degrees 23 have helped to uncover some of the core needs of younger for Young Audiences 12 These trends have underlined the challenge for mainstream groups around news, as well us some of the frustrations with Forming news habits & behaviours 27 Key generational differences: digital natives media in attracting the attention of younger audiences, the approaches taken by mainstream media. in building the brand loyalty and news habits that ultimately vs.
    [Show full text]
  • If You Are in Any Doubt About the Contents of This Prospectus, You Should Seek Independent Professional Advice
    IMPORTANT If you are in any doubt about the contents of this Prospectus, you should seek independent professional advice. SAMSONITE INTERNATIONAL S.A. 13-15 Avenue de la Liberté, L-1931, Luxembourg R.C.S. Luxembourg: B159469 (Incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg with limited liability) GLOBAL OFFERING Number of Offer Shares under the Global Offering : 671,235,600 Shares (comprising 121,100,005 New Shares and 550,135,595 Sale Shares and subject to the Over-allotment Option) Number of Hong Kong Offer Shares : 67,123,800 New Shares (subject to adjustment) Number of International Offer Shares : 604,111,800 Shares (comprising 53,976,205 New Shares and 550,135,595 Sale Shares and subject to adjustment and the Over-allotment Option) Maximum Offer Price : HK$17.50 per Offer Share plus brokerage of one percent, SFC transaction levy of 0.003 percent and Stock Exchange trading fee of 0.005 percent (payable in full on application in Hong Kong dollars and subject to refund) Nominal value : US$0.01 per Share Stock code : 1910 Sole Sponsor, Joint Global Coordinator and Joint Bookrunner Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners Joint Bookrunners Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this Prospectus, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this Prospectus. A copy of this Prospectus, having attached to it the documents specified in “Appendix VII—Documents Delivered to the Registrar of Companies and Available for Inspection” has been registered by the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong as required by section 342C of the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong).
    [Show full text]
  • The Familiar Faces of Political Renewal at City Hall Timothy Whitton
    The familiar faces of political renewal at City Hall Timothy Whitton To cite this version: Timothy Whitton. The familiar faces of political renewal at City Hall. Observatoire de la société britannique, La Garde : UFR Lettres et sciences humaines, Université du Sud Toulon Var, 2012, La nouvelle donne politique en Grande-Bretagne (2010-2012), pp.97-113. 10.4000/osb.1317. hal- 01923780 HAL Id: hal-01923780 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01923780 Submitted on 5 Dec 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. The familiar faces of political renewal at City Hall Timothy Whitton Abstract On September 24th, 2010 Ken Livingstone was chosen as the Labour Party’s candidate to attempt to become the new mayor of London in 2012. His first words emphasized the fact that unlike the mayoral election in 2000 when he asked Londoners to choose between an Old Labour and New Labour vision of the capital city, this time round, getting rid of the conservative mayor, Boris Johnson, would be an important step in rejecting the cuts that David Cameron and George Osborne are inflicting on the public services.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2019/20
    National Trust Annual Report 2019/20 National Trust Annual Report 2019/20 1 The National Trust in brief Our purpose To look after special places throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland for everyone, forever. About us The charity was founded in 1895 by three people who saw the importance of our nation’s heritage and open spaces, and who wanted to protect them for everyone to enjoy. This year we celebrated our 125th anniversary and our founders’ vision remains at the heart of everything we do. We look after coastline, historic sites, countryside and green spaces, providing access for all. We welcome everyone to explore: • 780 miles of coastline; • almost 250,000 hectares of land; and • over 500 heritage properties which include historic houses and gardens, industrial monuments, and social history sites. Most of our property is held inalienably, so it cannot be sold or developed without the consent of Parliament. We rely on the support of our members, donors, volunteers and grant-making bodies, as well as income from commercial activities such as retail and catering, to look after the places in our care. This Annual Report can also be viewed online at www.nationaltrustannualreport.org.uk The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is a registered charity (no. 205846). It is incorporated and has powers conferred on it by Parliament through the National Trust Acts 1907 to 1971 and under the Charities (National Trust) Order 2005. The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees whose composition appears on page 42. A brief description of the Trust’s organisation is given on pages 33 to 41.
    [Show full text]
  • Zoom-In Issue 10
    Media law news from Abbas Media Law zoom-inSummer 2018 BRITNEY FORCED MONKEYS TO GIVE CAN’T OWN TULISA COPYRIGHT, CREDIT SAYS COURT INSIDE MILEY THE ROYAL HIT WITH $300M ACADEMY CLAIM OF ARTS STORMY’S A-COMIN’ DANIELS SLAPS TRUMP WITH NEW LIBEL SUIT EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: WINDSORS EXEC ROBERT WULFF-COCHRANE IN THIS ISSUE Martin Lewis takes on Facebook ...... 12 Warsi wins damages payout ............ 14 Telegraph pays ex-Guantanamo prisoner ....................................... 15 BUSINESS AFFAIRS Abbas Media Law’s production legal schedule, setting out the five key stages of TV production and the legal issues producers must consider. In this Shutterstock.com issue, we focus on new data protection rules ............................................ 16 JStone / 20 QUESTIONS COPYRIGHT & IP RIGHTS WINNERS & LOSERS Noho Film & TV’s Robert Wulff- Del Toro sued over Shape of Water .. 18 Tulisa wins writing credit from Britney .4 Cochrane on his favourite places ..... 22 Stranger Things accused of Madonna fails to block auction ..........4 plagiarism .................................... 18 MEDIA HAUNTS BBC beats Bill Cosby copyright suit ...4 Miley Cyrus faces lawsuit ................ 19 Why you should join the Royal Academy Masterchef loses fight with of Arts ......................................... 24 Uptown Funk dispute settles............ 20 Mister Chef ....................................6 No IP rights for monkeys, says court . 20 Stars get Mirror hacking payout ........7 PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION Vivienne Westwood apologises ...... 21 Cliff Richard privacy trial heard ........ 26 REGULATION – OFCOM, Newspaper could use Facebook pic 27 ASA & IPSO De Havilland appeals over Feud ...... 28 Inside the Gang in privacy breach ......8 Damages appeal in Can’t Pay? case . 28 Timberlake joined to class action .......9 First English ‘right to be forgotten’ Today in breach on climate change ....9 case ...........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020
    Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020 Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020 Nic Newman with Richard Fletcher, Anne Schulz, Simge Andı, and Rasmus Kleis Nielsen Supported by Surveyed by © Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism / Digital News Report 2020 4 Contents Foreword by Rasmus Kleis Nielsen 5 3.15 Netherlands 76 Methodology 6 3.16 Norway 77 Authorship and Research Acknowledgements 7 3.17 Poland 78 3.18 Portugal 79 SECTION 1 3.19 Romania 80 Executive Summary and Key Findings by Nic Newman 9 3.20 Slovakia 81 3.21 Spain 82 SECTION 2 3.22 Sweden 83 Further Analysis and International Comparison 33 3.23 Switzerland 84 2.1 How and Why People are Paying for Online News 34 3.24 Turkey 85 2.2 The Resurgence and Importance of Email Newsletters 38 AMERICAS 2.3 How Do People Want the Media to Cover Politics? 42 3.25 United States 88 2.4 Global Turmoil in the Neighbourhood: 3.26 Argentina 89 Problems Mount for Regional and Local News 47 3.27 Brazil 90 2.5 How People Access News about Climate Change 52 3.28 Canada 91 3.29 Chile 92 SECTION 3 3.30 Mexico 93 Country and Market Data 59 ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE 3.31 Australia 96 3.01 United Kingdom 62 3.32 Hong Kong 97 3.02 Austria 63 3.33 Japan 98 3.03 Belgium 64 3.34 Malaysia 99 3.04 Bulgaria 65 3.35 Philippines 100 3.05 Croatia 66 3.36 Singapore 101 3.06 Czech Republic 67 3.37 South Korea 102 3.07 Denmark 68 3.38 Taiwan 103 3.08 Finland 69 AFRICA 3.09 France 70 3.39 Kenya 106 3.10 Germany 71 3.40 South Africa 107 3.11 Greece 72 3.12 Hungary 73 SECTION 4 3.13 Ireland 74 References and Selected Publications 109 3.14 Italy 75 4 / 5 Foreword Professor Rasmus Kleis Nielsen Director, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) The coronavirus crisis is having a profound impact not just on Our main survey this year covered respondents in 40 markets, our health and our communities, but also on the news media.
    [Show full text]