[ad_1]
Sign up for the View from Westminster e mail for skilled evaluation straight to your inbox
Get our free View from Westminster e mail
Rishi Sunak has refused to back Post Office chief government Nick Read after it emerged he’s under investigation.
The prime minister instructed MPs that it could be “inappropriate” for him to remark when challenged within the Commons to back Mr Read’s management of the corporate.
His response got here a day after Downing Street supplied assurances over Mr Read after former Post Office chairman Henry Staunton highlighted the existence of an 80-page report compiled by the organisation’s HR director.
Our focus stays working intently with the Post Office to guarantee it delivers justice for postmasters caught up on this historic scandal
Prime minister Rishi Sunak
Mr Staunton, who claims he has been the sufferer of a “smear campaign” since his public fallout with enterprise secretary Kemi Badenoch, mentioned his personal behaviour was solely referenced as soon as within the doc about Mr Read.
Rishi Sunak mentioned it will be inappropriate to remark earlier than the investigation had concluded (James Manning/PA)
(PA Wire)
Speaking at PMQs, Labour MP Kevan Jones instructed the Commons: “After yesterday’s revelation that Nick Read, the CEO of the Post Office, is under investigation for an 80-page report written by the former head of HR at the Post Office, does the prime minister and the business secretary have confidence in Nick Read’s leadership at the Post Office?”
Mr Sunak replied: “It would clearly be inappropriate for me to comment on an investigation before it has been completed.
“Our focus remains working closely with the Post Office to ensure it delivers justice for postmasters caught up in this historic scandal and that is why we will imminently bring forward legislation that we promised.”
On Tuesday, requested if the government and No 10 has confidence in Mr Read, a Downing Street spokeswoman mentioned: “Yes.”
Downing Street wouldn’t be drawn on when No 10 turned conscious of the investigation into Mr Reed, with the prime minister’s official spokesman saying he wouldn’t touch upon “internal matters”.
Labour former minister Dame Angela Eagle questioned why Mr Sunak had opted not to remark, including: “And yet he allows his trade secretary to comment freely, loudly and often on Twitter.
“Is he content with her activities and her behaviour in this respect?”
Mr Sunak replied: “The business secretary set out her position explicitly and clearly in the House last week, and actually since then, and despite some of the claims that were made by the party opposite, the former permanent secretary at the department has completely refuted the claims that were made, and yesterday the current CEO and the director of business resilience at the department refuted Mr Staunton’s recollection.”
What there may be, truly, is Mr Read fell out along with his HR director and he or she produced a ‘speak up’ doc which was 80 pages thick. Within that was one paragraph… about feedback that I allegedly made
Harry Staunton in proof to MPs
Downing Street was repeatedly challenged about Ms Badenoch’s determination to reveal that Mr Staunton had been the topic of a bullying investigation.
Mr Staunton mentioned the investigation was truly into Mr Read.
The prime minister’s official spokesman mentioned: “I’m not going to offer any further commentary on HR investigations and HR matters.”
Asked if Ms Badenoch lied to the Commons, he mentioned: “I have nothing further to add to what the business secretary has already said on the floor of the House in relation to this matter.”
Mr Staunton’s feedback in regards to the 80-page report got here at an proof session with MPs on the Business and Trade Committee on Tuesday.
He beforehand mentioned he had been instructed to delay payouts to subpostmasters affected by issues with the Horizon pc system, which led to Ms Badenoch accusing him of spreading “made-up anecdotes”.
Asked if he was knowledgeable that his behaviour was under investigation in November final yr, Mr Staunton mentioned: “What there is, actually, is Mr Read fell out with his HR director and she produced a ‘speak up’ document which was 80 pages thick.
“Within that was one paragraph… about comments that I allegedly made.
“So, this is an investigation, not into me, this is an investigation made into the chief executive Nick Read.
“That one paragraph you could say was about politically incorrect comments attributed to me which I strenuously deny.
“This was not an investigation into me, this was an investigation based on the 80-page document prepared by the HR director.”
Mr Staunton continued: “This 80-page document was actually taking a terrible toll on Nick Read.
“He said: ‘I’m not being supported by the board, this is just bad news for me and my family, I’m going to resign tomorrow, I’ve just had enough’.”
The Post Office mentioned it was investigating a criticism towards a variety of folks together with Mr Read, however that he had by no means supplied to resign.
The Horizon IT scandal noticed greater than 700 subpostmasters prosecuted by the Post Office and handed prison convictions between 1999 and 2015 as Fujitsu’s defective Horizon system made it seem as if cash was lacking at their branches.
Hundreds of subpostmasters are nonetheless awaiting compensation regardless of the federal government saying those that have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink