Calls for current Post Office CEO to be sacked ‘harsh’ says store owner

In addition to “justice for previous postmasters and compensation paid ASAP” the group is also calling for the removal of any employees from within POL who were employed during the Horizon scandal period.

This included a call for current CEO Nick Read to be removed from his post.

While agreeing with the group to some extent, a retailer who had been affected by the scandal believes some of the wrong people are being targeted.

Speaking to Talking Retail, Derbyshire store owner Dee Sedani called the demand for Read to be sacked “a bit harsh.”

He added: “I’m not saying it’s right or wrong but if he’s told there’s no problem he’s not going to investigate. He had no reason to disbelieve people. The messaging is a little mixed up. I believe Fujitsi should be brought to justice.”

Read joined the Post Office in September 2019, after the 1999 – 2015 period in which prosecutions against postmasters took place.

The group also said in its statement: “postmasters need to be involved in a material way in all levels of POL management. Ultimately accountability for the business executives should be to postmasters.”

“The revelations this week and throughout the inquiry are not new to postmaster or employees within POL. This is common language and the approach will never change without a complete overhaul.

“There must be an immediate overhaul of current branch remuneration to provide far pay for the work and responsibility postmasters undertake.”

In response, a Post Office spokesperson said: “In 2019, the current management settled the long running Horizon litigation and made a sincere apology. Since then, Post Office has actively supported efforts to compensate postmasters fairly and quickly, and determined in its wish to help right the wrongs of the past.

In 2021 Post Office changed its governance structure, appointing two serving Postmasters to the Board, and is making progress on its commitment to replace the upgraded Horizon system with a new and appropriately funded modern solution.

“While progress has been made with £138m paid in compensation. Post Office continues to work with the government to support its efforts to speed up the exoneration of people with wrongful convictions and pay full and fair compensation swiftly. There remains much work to do to ensure that full justice and compensation are delivered, and to make sure that this can never happen again.”

Store owner Sedani’s reference to mixed messaging could also apply to some recent social media posts calling for a boycott of post offices following the airing of ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. That would obviously harm the very people who were victims of the scandal.

Those messages spurred The National Federation of Subpostmasters (NFSP) to issue the following statement.

“The National Federation of Subpostmasters is aware of social media posts where people have threatened to boycott post offices due to the ITV drama about ‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’.

“Whilst the reaction from the general public to what the victims have experienced is understandable, the outpouring of feeling towards Post Office Ltd (PO) for their role in this scandal across social media may be detrimental to our businesses today, by association.

“Postmasters have already been the most affected by this scandal, so we urge the general public to continue to support your local post office.

“Post offices are the beating heart of local communities. Postmasters are investors in PO and 98% of post offices are privately owned*. Many have life savings in their business, and they need your continued support. They are important contributors to local economies and are, collectively, a major employer in the UK.”