Ministers have refuted reports that the government sought to delay payments related to the Post Office Horizon affair.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Henry Staunton—who was fired by the business secretary last month—suggested that worries about the settlements’ cost were the reason behind the purported request from a senior Whitehall civil official.
He also told the newspaper that he found out about his firing after receiving a call from News, and that Ms. Badenoch had warned him that “someone’s got to take the rap” for the Horizon issue.
Following Ms. Badenoch’s use of social media to accuse the former chairman of “disgraceful misrepresentation” of the reasons he was removed, the government promptly and forcefully denied the charges.
After serving as WH Smith chairman for nine years, Mr. Staunton assumed the position in December 2022. He stated that he was instructed “by a fairly senior person to stall on spend on compensation and on the replacement of Horizon” and to “limp into the election”.
“It was just straight financials, nothing anti-postmaster,” he continued.
