Will Paula Venells ever be held accountable?

[Fullbreakfast]

At one point he was twice called a liar. His response was "I've never told a lie in my life".

That in itself that shows him to be a liar, and not a very clever one. This used to be one of the "veracity test" questions included in psychologists' questionnaires to establish whether a person is giving honest answers, since there is nobody who has never told a lie.

[Passenger]

While individuals bear personal responsibility, it is also a systemic problem where so much weight is placed on “targets” and “performance” that basic decency gets overridden by collective corporate expectations and the implicit threat that if you aren’t putting your employer above everything and everyone else, then you are disloyal and failing.

In our rush to satiate the system’s appetite it is all too easy to subconsciously justify the wrong actions as necessary for the greater good.

Just my opinion of course.

Well said, though not sure it's the great good justification so much as it's the greater profit though I guess that's the corporate good after all...it's unfair the justice system cannot be applied equitably though and corporate citizens and it's senior management are not held to the same legal standards as private citizens...One example of carers, highlighted earlier in the thread, carers being heavily penalised by the system for honest mistakes...PO and Fujitsu knowingly conducted an organised, malicious pursuit and wrongful persecution of innocent Post masters over years to attempt a cover up and the system/govt not interested in prosecutions...it's a head scratcher certainly...

[deepreddave]

I suspect those who climb the greasy pole to these very senior roles are more likely to be willing to view corporate indicators of success above morality, and the law it seems, whilst convincing themselves that's ok.

Multiple criminal prosecutions needed for the PO execs and those involved in covering up the blood scandal. Until genuine justice is seen for these execs they'll continue to enrich themselves with such behaviour.

[Passenger]

I suspect those who climb the greasy pole to these very senior roles are more likely to be willing to view corporate indicators of success above morality, and the law it seems, whilst convincing themselves that's ok.

Multiple criminal prosecutions needed for the PO execs and those involved in covering up the blood scandal. Until genuine justice is seen for these execs they'll continue to enrich themselves with such behaviour.

Seems same in the world of politics as in top level corporate...after all the 2 worlds are overlapping, entwined, so would be surprising if weren´t the WAY...just as a statement of fact, apolitical.

Total agreement your 2nd point...otherwise the corruption continues and trickles down, at odds with the wealth.

[adrianw]

I suspect those who climb the greasy pole to these very senior roles are more likely to be willing to view corporate indicators of success above morality, and the law it seems, whilst convincing themselves that's ok.

Multiple criminal prosecutions needed for the PO execs and those involved in covering up the blood scandal. Until genuine justice is seen for these execs they'll continue to enrich themselves with such behaviour.

My money says it's unlikely they get prosecuted, it's like the water companies dumping sewage or the contaminated blood scandal, the UK is a soft touch and they all know it, if there is enough public pressure they might have an expensive long winded enquiry where they will conclude that lessons need to be learnt!

Oh well Venells tomorrow

[Passenger]

My money says it's unlikely they get prosecuted, it's like the water companies dumping sewage or the contaminated blood scandal, the UK is a soft touch and they all know it, if there is enough public pressure they might have an expensive long winded enquiry where they will conclude that lessons need to be learnt!

Oh well Venells tomorrow

Open for business no matter the cost?

[Passenger]

PV getting sworn in and advised of her rights/ privileges on self incrimination and fairness...sublime irony really.

Ah now she's trying to get her apology in upfront...there'll be no genuine justice here....hahaha ''I was too trusting'' reminds me of Pandy ''I was too honourable''...scum.

[gbn13]

^^^ And gets in early…

Saying she basically hadn’t seen various documents, that made it clear there were problems.

[Passenger]

^^^ And gets in early…

Saying she basically hadn’t seen various documents, that made it clear there were problems.

She seems to be playing a very similar card to the Govt...despite PV being paid highly as CEO everything important, critical she ''ran it at arms length''.......ah so a 'governance lesson''...

[adrianw]

Isn't it funny, if you are a director of a limited company and it is decided that you have misbehaved you become personally responsible, yet if you're the boss of a massive corporate entity!

Personally I don't think she should be allowed to apologise, she can't wipe this clean

[oldoakknives]

She seems to be playing a very similar card to the Govt...despite PV being paid highly as CEO everything important, critical she ''ran it at arms length''.......ah so a 'governance lesson''...

Must have taken lessons from NHS management. Teflon the lot of them.

[Passenger]

Isn't it funny, if you are a director of a limited company and it is decided that you have misbehaved you become personally responsible, yet if you're the boss of a massive corporate entity!

Personally I don't think she should be allowed to apologise, she can't wipe this clean

She's apologised already and is maintaining her hands were clean, if anything she was ''too trusting'' of colleagues and counsel, there was no conspiracy, it was institutional and governance failures. lolz...she needs a thwack round her lying ginger head, focus her mind.

Cor she earned 5.1 million in her time at the PO, that's roughly ten times the average Brits life time earnings, , yet maintained such incredible ignorance of sooo much...christ, really it's a different world, nice work if you can get it.

[TheFlyingBanana]

She's apologised already and is maintaining her hands were clean, if anything she was ''too trusting'' of colleagues and counsel, there was no conspiracy, it was institutional and governance failures. lolz...she needs a thwack round her lying ginger head, focus her mind.

Cor she earned 5.1 million in her time at the PO, that's roughly ten times the average Brits life time earnings, , yet maintained such incredible ignorance of sooo much...christ, really it's a different world, nice work if you can get it.

There is simply no way that she was not aware there was a significant question mark over the reliability of the Horizon system, and therefore prosecutions and convictions.

And therefore she should, and could have brought a screeching halt to any and all ongoing prosecutions, and instigated a public review. As CEO she had the power to do that, but she chose not to.

[Passenger]

There is simply no way that she was not aware there was a significant question mark over the reliability of the Horizon system, and therefore prosecutions and convictions.

And therefore she should, and could have brought a screeching halt to any and all ongoing prosecutions, and instigated a public review. As CEO she had the power to do that, but she chose not to.

I agree. Ah now come the tears...

[TheFlyingBanana]

Jason Beer already has her tied to the rack, and now he is beginning to turn the ratchets.

He setting her up for a shredding.

[Passenger]

Jason Beer already has her tied to the rack, and now he is beginning to turn the ratchets.

He setting her up for a shredding.

Alas only metaphorically.

The Postmasters gathered watching her seem very unimpressed thus far, SKY news. Bless 'em.

[BillyCasper]

She's been coached, she's been prepared, trying to be measured and composed. It's not working. Beers is a great inquisitor and exposed her in less than an hour. She's got to last three days and Messrs Henry, Page, Stein, Maloney....

Full of executive flim-flam. The lack of 'corporate memory' twaddle showed her up with Beers stating that it's all there, documented, they have it and have been through it.

I suspect she's had elocution at some point in her executive career. Can't have a senior executive saying 'y'all right chuck'.

Short adjournment toilet break and the roof is leaking, hopefully not from the toilets.

[Passenger]

She's been coached, she's been prepared, trying to be measured and composed. It's not working. Beers is a great inquisitor and exposed her in less than an hour. She's got to last three days and Messrs Henry, Page, Stein, Maloney....

Full of executive flim-flam. The lack of 'corporate memory' twaddle showed her up with Beers stating that it's all there, documented, they have it and have been through it.

I suspect she's had elocution at some point in her executive career. Can't have a senior executive saying 'y'all right chuck'.

Short adjournment toilet break and the roof is leaking, hopefully not from the toilets.

Despite all that prep and grooming she's gone down like a pint of sick as far as her victims seem concerned.

[manganr]

Her answers are all as vague as she can possibly make them without admitting complicity. The back will be passed down the ladder and given the seriousness of what happened to the postmaster she'll get a slap on the wrist for her part and walk away. The crying bit was abhorrent. The facts were there for her to see years ago but she didn't cry for the postmasters.

[Passenger]

Her answers are all as vague as she can possibly make them without admitting complicity. The back will be passed down the ladder and given the seriousness of what happened to the postmaster she'll get a slap on the wrist for her part and walk away. The crying bit was abhorrent. The facts were there for her to see years ago but she didn't cry for the postmasters.

As a Christian how can she live with herself.

Her Machiavellianism very clear in her choice of language in the emails, especially in reference to the corporations desired relationship with Alan Bates.

[TKH]

No Blame No Shame

I don’t remember , i relied on others.

Ah now the water works

How predictable

[bandylegss]

As a Christian how can she live with herself.

Her Machiavellianism very clear in her choice of language in the emails, especially in reference to the corporations desired relationship with Alan Bates.

And she turns on the tears ffs no one is going to fall for this hard faced bugger.

[Passenger]

Not very Christian or kind, human even of PV to attempt a fishing trip, as evidenced in her emails, to get some 'evidence' in hopes of exonerating the PO from Martin Griffith's suicide. Scum.

[TheFlyingBanana]

Beer now asking how it is she can remember things that reduce her culpability, but not anything that is counter to that?

He's got the measure of her.

[Go Big]

Are the proceedings televised?


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[gbn13]

Are the proceedings televised?


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Yes.

Go to the enquiry website - there is a link to live coverage on YouTube.

You can also watch previous sessions for a given day.

[Go Big]

Yes.

Go to the enquiry website - there is a link to live coverage on YouTube.

You can also watch previous sessions for a given day.

Cheers.


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[TheFlyingBanana]

Are the proceedings televised?


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It's also on BBC News website and Sky News website.

[TaketheCannoli]

It's a tough watch, skin-crawlingly cringy. "I think" "I can't recall" "I may have mis-remembered" "I don't believe I ever saw that"

I hope she does time as his majesty's pleasure.

This bloke seems to be playing right into her hands and giving her opportunities to blame others. Unless he has an amazing punchline that nails her to the mast.

[TheFlyingBanana]

It's a tough watch, skin-crawlingly cringy. "I think" "I can't recall" "I may have mis-remembered" "I don't believe I ever saw that"

I hope she does time as his majesty's pleasure.

This bloke seems to be playing right into her hands and giving her opportunities to blame others. Unless he has an amazing punchline that nails her to the mast.

His job is to establish facts, not prosecute her. Unfortunately.

[TaketheCannoli]

Fair points.

His job is to establish facts, not prosecute her. Unfortunately.

[Jubal]

It's a tough watch, skin-crawlingly cringy. "I think" "I can't recall" "I may have mis-remembered" "I don't believe I ever saw that"

I hope she does time as his majesty's pleasure.

This bloke seems to be playing right into her hands and giving her opportunities to blame others. Unless he has an amazing punchline that nails her to the mast.

I came here to say similar and see you and a load of others have beat me to it! It’s amazing how ignorance is a defence when it should be her job to know how her own business worked. How can you run it if you don’t know? She took years to find out they ran their own prosecutions for example. Utterly incompetent IMO.

Man, how I’d love just one smoking gun to emerge.

[TaketheCannoli]

It's truly amazing how many things she remembers that either have no relevance or can detract the issue away from her but can't remember highly relevant and pertinent points.

[dkpw]

I came here to say similar and see you and a load of others have beat me to it! It’s amazing how ignorance is a defence when it should be her job to know how her own business worked. How can you run it if you don’t know? She took years to find out they ran their own prosecutions for example. Utterly incompetent IMO.

Man, how I’d love just one smoking gun to emerge.

Nor did she know that there are different legal systems with distinct prosecutorial processes in England & Wales v Scotland.

Utterly chuffing incompetent. How do these people get appointed?

[Carlton-Browne]

Her self-professed lack of knowledge could be accounted for, just, if she had been some sort of CEO-arriving-by-parachute from elsewhere. We shouldn't forget that she was the Post Office Group Network Director between 2007 and 2012. There is no way she didn't know any of this.

[TKH]

The Narcissist's Prayer

That didn't happen.
And if it did, it wasn't that bad.
And if it was, that's not a big deal.
And if it is, that's not my fault.
And if it was, I didn't mean it.
And if I did, you deserved it.

[Griswold]

Come on guys, be fair, it's everybody else's fault except hers - she's made that abundantly clear already.

It continues to amaze me how people with such lack of ability get them to where people like her are!

[wildheart]

Come on guys, be fair, it's everybody else's fault except hers - she's made that abundantly clear already.

It continues to amaze me how people with such lack of ability get them to where people like her are!

Welcome to the public sector! Compulsive viewing.

[Passenger]

Come on guys,

It continues to amaze me how people with such lack of ability get them to where people like her are!

Tis ineffable mate.

[TaketheCannoli]

Harsh and no more true than in the private sector.

Welcome to the public sector! Compulsive viewing.

[Griswold]

Lesson for the day

We all make mistakes. What's important is having the courage to deny any responsibility, blame someone else, and move on.

[Passenger]

And tiny, tiny tears...the gathered Postmasters with Sky news, resolutely not buying it...all power to them.

[blackal]

All the council for the ‘witnesses/defendants’ have got together and agreed - ‘admit to nothing, feign memory loss, thought someone else was following up etc……. If we all stick together - we all get out of this unscathed’

Agreed - it needs a couple of smoking e-mails to bring it all crashing down around them.

All this ‘I didn’t know’ should be challenged with their CV in application for the position.

thing is - this enquiry doesn’t have the reach to investigate phone calls, WhatsApp’s etc…….. and the slimy shits know it.

There should be a penalty of 5yrs in prison for each non-credible answer. That might sharpen their memories.

[TaketheCannoli]

His questioning is getting pretty spicy now. And here come the crocodile tears. When the questions get tough she pulls the pubes.

[Rod]

Squirming more than a squirmy thing... I think.

[blackal]

I wouldn’t be able to stop myself:


”Ms Venells, let’s see some of that commanding presence that you displayed around the PO conference tables” (you absolute cnut)

[Dave E]

In these kind of situations where senior leaders of organisations play the "I didn't know" card, I find myself thinking that they are either dishonest (because they're lying) or incompetent (because it was literally their job to know). Both outcomes are deserving of blame, approbation and probably (certainly in this case) punishment, just in different ways.

[Daveya.]

'I was too trusting'


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[j111dja]

'I was too trusting'


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That was a classic comment.

[Daveya.]

'why did you need to be able to say it's not possible'



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