logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
37m 24s

The Post Office Scandal: who’s to blame ...

GLOBAL
About this episode

Why are more than 700 postmasters still trying to clear their names and access even the most basic compensation more than two decades after they were falsely accused of theft?

On today's episode Adeep Sethi tells us how his family warned the Post Office in 2002 about Horizon's problems - he has the proof in a newspaper article. Twenty two years on, and torn apart, they are still fighting for justice.

We ask Tory MP and campaigner David Davis whether British justice has failed.

A spokesperson for Fujitsu - who rolled out the Horizon system - said: "Fujitsu has apologised for its role in their suffering. Fujitsu is fully committed to supporting the Post Office Horizon IT statutory Inquiry in order to understand what happened and to learn from it. Out of respect for the Inquiry process, it would be inappropriate for Fujitsu to comment further at this time.”

And how did Helen Harrison - partner of disgraced Tory MP Peter Bone - get selected as the candidate for his newly vacated seat of Wellingborough? It's a News Agents mystery.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Up next
Today
Why is Burnham getting blamed for a global debt crisis?
Andy Burnham faced Kemi Badenoch for his first PMQs and while she chose to open the session with some innuendo, the hard questions soon came. Burnham has shown himself adept at diagnosis but less quick to nail his solutions to the mast. How long does he have to NOT answer questio ... Show More
36m 58s
Yesterday
Has Keir Starmer performed his final U-turn?
It's the first day back at school - and Keir Starmer suddenly announces he’s out. He'd sad he'd stay as an MP just a few weeks ago - so why the change of heart? Is it a cheeky bid to wrestle the headlines from his successor? Or is he just trying to get out of Burnham's way? And w ... Show More
37m 1s
Aug 28
Q&A Special: Harry and Meghan, Trump's midterm chaos, and another Farage by-election?
In this special Q&A edition of the show, Jon and Lewis answer your questions.They discuss how long the Burnham bounce will last, whether Trump will attempt to cancel the midterms, and if Harry and Meghan's return will complete reshape the Royal Family (and even make Lewis a monar ... Show More
46m 24s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
'Why did we have to wait for a TV drama?': Post Office convictions quashed
Rishi Sunak's promised a new law to exonerate and compensate Post Office branch managers who were wrongly prosecuted in the Horizon IT scandal. But those seeking payouts will have to sign a statement of truth to say they didn't commit the crimes they were accused of. Lee Castleto ... Show More
22m 36s
Jan 2024
Mr Bates Vs the Post Office – what Fujitsu told MPs
The man who has led fellow former sub postmasters in their campaign to overturn wrongful convictions, Alan Bates, was among those giving evidence to MPs today. The bosses of the Post Office and Fujitsu also faced the committee for the first time with the Post Office chief executi ... Show More
18m 55s
Feb 2024
The Post Office scandal - more trouble on the Horizon?
The former chair of the Post Office, Henry Staunton, who was dismissed last month, claims he was told by a top civil servant to "hobble into the election" and delay payouts to sub-postmasters, in a newly released memo. But Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch told MPs there's "no evi ... Show More
24m 19s
May 2021
Horizon Post Office Scandal - 422
2000's. United Kingdom. During the 2000's, Post Office Ltd discovered that hundreds of their SubPostmasters were stealing money and punished them for it. Well over 700 people were prosecuted or took plea deals resulting in fines and even prison sentences. As the numbers grew and ... Show More
54m 57s
Apr 2024
Fighting the Post Office: Alan Bates at the inquiry
Alan Bates, the campaigner who took on the Post Office to expose flaws in its IT systems which led to wrongful convictions, has appeared before the public inquiry into the scandal. Can this crucial stage of the inquiry take the victims a step closer to justice?This podcast was br ... Show More
30m 22s
Jul 2024
The Great British Post Office Scandal | 115
In the late 90s, the UK Post Office rolls out a new computer accounting system they know is full of glitches. Then, it spends two decades covering up its mistake. When small, mom-and-pop shop owners report errors, the Post Office blames them and forces them to cover any losses… o ... Show More
42m 47s