Post Office chairman ousted amid government frustration over Horizon scandal

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The chairman of the Post Office is being compelled out of his position amid government frustration over the HorizonIT scandal.

Henry Staunton has been within the job for only a 12 months however will depart following tensions with ministers.

The state-owned firm has come underneath intense scrutiny in latest weeks following a public outcry over what Rishi Sunak described as “one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history”.

Hundreds of subpostmasters have been prosecuted by the Post Office for theft and false accounting due to a defective laptop system made by Fujitsu, Horizon.

The prime minister introduced he would deliver ahead laws to exonerate them after an ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office highlighted the scandal.

It has since emerged that the government estimates the whole compensation invoice paid to subpostmasters will prime £1 billion.

One supply of pressure between Mr Staunton and ministers is reported to be the bonus given to chief government Nick Read and linked to the Post Office’s cooperation with the Horizon inquiry.

Mr Staunton was knowledgeable of his destiny by the enterprise and commerce secretary Kemi Badenoch.

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson informed Sky News: “The Secretary of State today had a phone call with Henry Staunton, the Chair of Post Office Limited (POL).

“Following this name, we will affirm that he has been dismissed as POL Chair.

“An interim will be appointed shortly.

“It is essential Post Office continues the important work to implement the required operational and cultural adjustments wanted throughout the enterprise.”