London ∙ Henty Staunton has resigned as Post Office chairman in the wake of the Horizon IT scandal in which hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters were convicted. The sentences in the Horizon IT scandal, described as Britain’s biggest miscarriage of justice, were highly controversial. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said there was a need for new leadership at the Post Office due to the ongoing review.
Henty Staunton has been asked to resign, the post office said in a statement. It is indicated that an interim chairman will be appointed soon. Henty Staunton has been holding the position of chairman of the state-owned Royal Mail Company since December 2022. Appointed with a salary of up to £150,000. He was tasked with guiding the board of directors and correcting the mistakes of the Horizon controversy. Previously served on the boards of companies ranging from ITV to WH Smith. Meanwhile, the government has not responded to media requests seeking the reason for Henty Staunton’s dismissal.
Government sources said that the recruitment process for the new chairman will start soon. But government sources say Henty Staunton’s sacking is not directly linked to the Post Office scandal.
Between 1999 and 2015, more than 700 sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses were prosecuted for embezzling money from the post offices they were in charge of. Many of the accused later became financially bankrupt and some committed suicide. Indians were also punished.
Summary:
UK Post Office chairman Henry Staunton steps down