The Post Office scandal: Trouble on the horizon

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

Institute for Government

News, Politics, Government

4.6 • 252 Ratings

🗓️ 12 January 2024

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Post Office scandal has been described by Rishi Sunak as one of greatest miscarriages of justice in UK history – so who is responsible, and is the government’s response the right one? Adam Boulton, former political editor of Sky News, joins the podcast to discuss how the faulty Horizon software led to hundreds of postmasters wrongly prosecuted for theft. Plus, the prime minister is urging voters to “stick with the plan” – but is the plan actually working? The pod team weigh up a tricky start to the year for Rishi Sunak, with a big resignation over his net zero plans and the controversial Rwanda bill returning to the Commons. And, access talks have been authorised – but is Labour prepared for the possibility of government? A new IfG report sets out what Keir Starmer needs to do. Hannah White presents with Cath Haddon and Nick Davies. Produced by Milo Hynes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Inside Briefing, the podcast from the Institute for Government.
0:13.4	I'm Hannah White.
0:15.0	Parliament returned this week, hot on the heels of a start-the-year speech from Kirstama,
0:19.4	who's billed 2024 as a year of change,
0:22.2	and an unveiling of a new slogan from Rishi Sunak, stick to the plan, says the Prime Minister.
0:27.2	But the story of the week would not have been in either the government's or Labour's comms grid.
0:31.4	A new ITV drama, Mr Bates v. the post office, has thrust the Horizon scandal firmly into the spotlight.
0:38.3	Decades after the first of more than 700 postal workers were convicted after faulty
0:42.9	post office software Horizon made it wrongly looked like money was missing.
0:47.2	So how is the government responding?
0:49.3	Which politicians are feeling the heat?
0:51.4	And what does this all tell us about the way government procurement contracts
0:54.5	work and the creaking IT used in some public services? Rishi Sunak is doing his best to stay one
1:00.7	step ahead of a story that he's called an appalling miscarriage of justice. The two pieces of
1:05.7	government legislation are giving the Prime Minister a headache. We'll take a look at a tricky
1:10.8	start to the year for the Prime Minister.
1:12.7	And then we'll turn to Labour just how prepared is Kirstama for a possible overnight transition of power?
1:18.1	And how easy is it to prepare for the prospect of government when you're also campaigning to win an election?
1:23.9	Joining me today are two IFG programme directors who are refreshed and rearing to go after Christmas, and that's Nick Davies.
1:30.1	Hi, Hannah.
1:30.5	And I'm delighted that we're joined today by Adam Bolton, former political editor at Sky News and now a Times Radio presenter and political commentator.
1:40.1	Hi, Adam. Thanks for joining us.
	...

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