Humza Yousaf calls for mass exoneration of postmasters in Horizon IT scandal to be considered

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Humza Yousaf has said there are "question marks" over the honour awarded to the former Post Office boss who was in charge at the height of the Horizon scandal.The First Minister said today he "understood" why thousands of people had signed an online petition calling for Paula Vennells to be stripped of her CBE.The SNP leader also said the idea of offering a mass exoneration to sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted due to faulty accounting systems was "worthy of consideration".It comes as Rishi Sunak said he would "strongly support" an honours committee if it looked again at the CBE awarded to Vennells.Speaking in Glasgow, Yousaf said: "It should not have taken a TV drama to get the UK Government to decide to take action.

The SNP has been asking for action in relation to Horizon and the injustice to sub-postmasters for many years."I think the idea of a mass exoneration is one worthy of consideration."Asked by the Record if Vennells should be stripped of her CBE, Yousaf said: "I think there are serious question marks around that honour.

I can understand why the calls have been made."But I don't think it deals with the most problematic and serious issues of injustice for sub-postmasters."What we do have is an issue of historic injustice for many decades now and it's taken a TV programme to spark some movement or action from the UK Government."I've seen the possibility raised of mass exoneration and I think it should be considered in all seriousness."Vennells has been urged to forfeit her honour in the wake of the Horizon IT scandal.The Forfeiture Committee can recommend honours are stripped if a person has brought the system into disrepute.Sunak's official spokesman said: "The prime minister shares the public's feeling