Inquiry hears from ex-Post Office chair Tim Parker

After a morning of evidence from Tim Parker, we have heard some of the same arguments made by people who have given evidence to this inquiry previously. However, we have also heard a crucial claim.

Like others before him, Parker said he was brought into an organisation that was – in his words – in “deep crisis”. His focus was not solely on Horizon and sub-postmaster claims but was also on trying to make the business commercially viable.

He denied being aware of civil service concerns about the leadership of Paula Vennells.

Within weeks of arriving, he commissioned lawyers to conduct a review of the IT system and the accompanying legal cases.

That review aired the allegation that the Post Office may have “bullied” sub-postmasters into pleading guilty to false accounting by also charging them with theft. This is often viewed as a more serious offence. A series of eight recommendations were made.

However, the report and those recommendations were never fully shown to the board or ministers. It is Parker’s evidence that this decision was taken after legal advice from internal Post Office lawyers. Advice that – with hindsight – he thinks should have been tested or challenged.

That challenge never happened and, instead, the Post Office focused on fighting Alan Bates and his group in court.

We will hear more about those court cases this afternoon.