I’m supporting calls for a judge-led inquiry into the Horizon Post Office scandal.

A BBC Panorama documentary aired this week claimed that the Post Office prosecuted postmasters over missing money despite having evidence that its own computer system, Horizon, could be to blame.

The Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Select Committee has already announced it will be undertaking an inquiry into the scandal. The Government announced its own ‘independent inquiry’ this week, but concerns have been raised that it will not be fully comprehensive and authoritative without judicial oversight. The issue was raised in an urgent question in the Commons this week by Shadow BEIS minister Chi Onwurah MP.

I fully support the call for a thorough judge-led inquiry into the Horizon scandal. I have met with constituents whose lives were directly impacted by the scandal, which caused enormous damage to livelihoods and relationships. As Chi Onwurah said in the Commons this week, a full judge-led inquiry is the very least those affected deserve, and is the only way we can get to the truth of this huge injustice.

ENDS