North-east MP welcomes Vennells’ decision to hand back CBE honour

Gordon MP Richard Thomson has welcomed the decision by former Post Office Chief Executive Paula Vennells to hand back the CBE she was awarded in 2019.

Mr Thomson had written to the Chair of the Honours Forfeiture Committee stating that “continued possession of a CBE by Ms Vennells is wrong and disrespectful to those who suffered wrongful prosecution during her leadership of the Post Office”.

Commenting, Richard Thomson MP said: “Paula Vennells is not solely to blame for this miscarriage of justice, and there are many in the Post Office who should be held accountable over the Post Office Horizon scandal.

“However, as chief executive, Paula Vennells is ultimately responsible for the leadership and strategic decisions of the Post Office at that time and I wrote to the Chair of the Honours Forfeiture Committee making those points.

"I’m pleased that Ms Vennells has now done the right thing in respect of the honour she was given.

“Ms Vennells has yet to be questioned by the Post Office Horizon Public Inquiry and her input to that will be key in getting to the root of the matter.

"Meantime, I will continue to press for justice and swift compensation for those sub-postmasters affected by this scandal.”

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