Ex-Post Office chair defends himself against claims

Henry Staunton revealed in February there was an investigation into Post Office boss Nick Read

The Post Office's former chairman has defended himself after a report found he used derogatory language during a meeting about recruiting a board member.

An investigation into Henry Staunton and the Post Office's current chief executive, Nick Read, detailed that the ex-chairman asked about a prospective candidate's race and where she came from.

The report also examined a discussion about female recruits during the meeting with the Post Office's former human resources director, where Mr Staunton referred to women as "girls" and used the term "pains in the arses".

In a statement, Mr Staunton said: "I was, at the time, quoting a previous conversation that I had had when I was chair of another organisation in which, a woman in a senior management role had said to me that she did not like appointing 'girls' because they were, in her experience, 'pains in the arses'."

He added: "The question I posed about the ethnicity of a candidate was seeking clarification in the context of our efforts to increase diversity."

Mr Staunton had asked if the candidate was "coloured". In his statement he said: "I understand that the term I used has now fallen out of favour and is one I will not use again."

The investigation began after a whistleblower made a number of misconduct allegations against Mr Read - who has subsequently been cleared of wrongdoing.

Mr Staunton said he had been told by the whistleblower themselves that he was not named in their so-called "Speak Up" complaint.

Nevertheless, he was investigated along with Mr Read in a process led by a barrister at Devereux Chambers.

The report was supposed to remain confidential. However, details emerged in the media on Wednesday.

Mr Staunton was sacked by Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch in January after little more than a year in the role - leading to a tit-for-tat public row between the two.

The Post Office is owned by the government and is the subject of a long-running inquiry into the Horizon scandal, where hundreds of sub-postmasters were prosecuted after faulty software made it appear money was missing from their accounts.

After his exit, Mr Staunton claimed in an interview with the Sunday Times that he had been advised by a civil servant to stall compensation payments to allow the government to "limp into the election" without the impact of a large pay-out.

The government strongly denied the allegation and Ms Badenoch claimed Mr Staunton was under a "formal investigation" for "serious matters such as bullying".

Mr Staunton refuted this. He then disclosed in February that it was actually Mr Read who was under investigation after a Speak Up complaint was made against him.

The Post Office confirmed at the time there were complaints against Mr Read and other staff.

Commenting after details of the report emerged on Wednesday, Mr Staunton said: "I understood from the statement made by the Business and Trade Department on the Post Office investigation that they wished to draw a line under the issue. I was fully intending to respect that and keep my own counsel.

"But from the fact that selected extracts of this supposedly confidential report have been leaked to the media suggests that they have no real intention of letting the matter rest and I therefore feel obliged to respond."

A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade, said: “As we said in our statement [on Wednesday], and Mr Staunton acknowledges, we feel this report has drawn a line under the issue and now regard the matter as closed, which allows us to turn our full attention to ensuring postmasters receive redress quickly and fairly.”

A spokesperson for the Post Office said: "In order to maintain the integrity of our Speak Up policy, and as a duty of care to all the individuals involved, it is absolutely appropriate that the report remains confidential.

"The fact that it was made public at all was a breach of that confidentiality."

The Post Office said that Mr Read had been "exonerated of all the misconduct allegations and has the full and united backing of the board".