Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Watch: Post Office Horizon inquiry continues as compensation advisor Lord Arbuthnot gives evidence

Oliver Browning
Wednesday 10 April 2024 15:08 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Watch as Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom - a member of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board gives evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry on Wednesday 10 April.

The former MP for North East Hampshire spoke a day after lead campaigner and former subpostmaster Alan Bates told the inquiry he believed the Post Office was “definitely trying to outspend us” as part of its “aggressive” tactics at the High Court.

Giving evidence in front of Post Office chief executive Nick Read on Tuesday, Mr Bates said the organisation “needs disbanding” and called it a “dead duck” that is “beyond saving”.

He also took aim at the government’s “fundamental flaw” of being unable to deal with issues such as the Horizon scandal “easily and sensibly”.

The Post Office has come under fire since the broadcast of ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which put the scandal under the spotlight.

More than 700 subpostmasters were prosecuted by the government-owned organisation and handed criminal convictions between 1999 and 2015 as Fujitsu’s faulty Horizon system made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in