Post Office scandal sees Sunderland councillors row after calls for Ed Davey to be stripped of his knighthood

Sunderland's Conservatives are calling for Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey to be stripped of his knighthood following the Post Office scandal.

Sir Ed was knighted in 2016 for "political and public service". He was Minister for Postal Affairs between 2010 and 2012.

Problems the now infamous Horizon system had first been reported by Computer Weekly magazine in 2009.

Now Conservatives on Sunderland City Council say that while Davey was minister he "was contacted by the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance group at least five times" but said that meeting Post Office victims would not "serve any purpose".

Paula Vennells was Post Office chief executive between 2012 and 2019, when she was awarded the CBE for "services to the Post Office and to charity". She is now returning the honour.

The scandal has dominated the national news since ITV broadcast the drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

Cllr Michael Hartnack, Conservative councillor for Fulwell, said: “Ed Davey was contacted by subpostmasters highlighting huge irregularities with the Horizon system and he now claims he was misled by the Post Office.

"But a real leader would have been at least curious about the very obvious pattern of errors across the country that led to this miscarriage of justice.

“The ITV docudrama has brought to our attention this major injustice; and Alan Bates has revealed the extent to which Davey ignored him at that time.

“Since 2019, Davey has called for 31 public figures to resign via his Twitter account. He is happy to point the blame at others; but now it is time for him to take responsibility.

"I am supporting the call for him to have his knighthood for public service rescinded.”

But Sunderland's Lib Dem leader, Cllr Paul Edgeworth, replied: “For years this Conservative Government has failed to address this horrific miscarriage of justice.

"Now it is has been highlighted on TV they are desperately scrabbling about the put the blame on anyone but themselves.

"There were numerous Post Office ministers from all three parties over many years. Trying to pin the blame solely on Ed Davey smacks of desperation.

"In fact Alan Bates himself has said it is nonsense to try and pin the blame on Ed Davey, who was the first minister to meet with victims."