For much of the past two months, we've witnessed an intense campaign by Ed Davey. From bungee-jumping to family man moments, he has portrayed himself as relatable and human during the election campaign. His efforts led to the Liberal Democrats achieving their best result in decades with 72 MPs. However, at a recent Post Office Inquiry, we saw a different Ed - one who appeared bewildered and apologetic for past actions related to the Horizon scandal involving the Post Office.
On Thursday, during the inquiry led by Jason Beer, it became evident that Ed Davey had been largely kept out of public view regarding his early career when he served as junior minister in charge of the Post Office. He admitted fault and regret for not being more vigilant about internal warnings from officials, which ultimately affected the reputation of himself and others involved with the scandal.
Despayer's testimony was interrupted by Jason Beer to steer it back to what Ed Davey knew at that time during his tenure as Post Office Minister. Despite claiming ignorance on certain matters, including operational concerns like Horizon, he admitted to being briefed about the scandal and having received letters from concerned MPs but failed to take action.
As the inquiry unfolded, it became clear that Ed Davey had initially disregarded a request for a meeting with Alan Bates, who sought his intervention in what turned out to be a massive miscarriage of justice within the Post Office. This decision was partly influenced by departmental advice suggesting no action would benefit innocent people potentially facing jail time - an approach that left many unimpressed and skeptical about Ed's handling of the situation.
The inquiry highlighted inconsistencies in Davey's recollection, including a list of ignored letters from concerned MPs. However, at one point during his testimony, he suggested potential future actions for remedy - advice that may have been more helpful if delivered by a knowledgeable and proactive government minister.
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