David Cameron government ‘knew secret Post Office probe that could have cleared innocent postmasters was ditched’

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The foreign secretary, who was in No 10 between 2010 and 2016, said in January: “I don’t recall in any detail being briefed or being aware of the scale of this issue.” He added that anyone who was involved in government over the last two decades had to be “extremely sorry” for the miscarriage of justice The revelations follow a series of explosive interactions between the former Post Office chair, Henry Staunton, and business secretary, Kemi Badenoch. open image in gallery Business secretary Kemi Badenoch rejected what Henry Staunton said in an interview with ‘The Sunday Times’ In a statement given to reporters, they said he had recorded the comment about delaying compensation “at the time in a file note which he emailed to himself and to colleagues and which is therefore traceable on the Post Office server”. The prime minister’s official spokesperson also urged the Post Office to share a note Mr Staunton claims proves he was given a so-called “go slow” order to delay compensation to postmasters. It would be a mad thing to even suggest, and the compensation scheme which Mr Staunton oversaw has actually been completed, and my understanding is 100 per cent of payments have been made, so clearly no instruction was given.” Chair of the business committee Liam Byrne told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “What we could do without right now is a war of words between the secretary of state and the former chairman, what we really need is ministers writing checks to the hundreds of subpostmasters who need redress, and they’ve been waiting for too long.” Mr Byrne said he “hopes” to be able to obtain a contemporaneous note Mr Staunton kept after being given the so-called “go slow” order.