Post Office Horizon scandal: Woman returns MBE

Sarah Griffith received her MBE in 2014 for services to charity

A woman who was appointed an MBE has sent her medal back "in solidarity" with sub-postmasters affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal.

Sarah Griffith, who received her honour while in Guernsey, has returned her medal to 10 Downing Street.

The scandal led to more than 700 people being prosecuted after faulty software made it appear money was missing.

Ms Griffith said the honours system was "broken" when a former Post Office boss had been awarded a CBE.

Paula Vennells, who served as CEO between 2012 and 2019, received the honour for services to the Post Office and to charity in the 2019 New Year's Honours - despite ongoing legal action against Post Office having been launched by 555 sub-postmasters in 2017.

The former Post Office boss confirmed on Tuesday that she was handing back her CBE after facing mounting pressure over the Horizon IT scandal.

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'Uncomfortable feeling'

Ms Griffith said not stripping Ms Vennells of her CBE was "insulting and pays a massive disservice to sub-postmasters and mistresses whose lives have been destroyed".

But she added Ms Vennells' decision to hand the award back did not detract from her own message that the honours system was broken.

"It's a serious thing to do, but I have been questioning the honours system for quite some time now," she said.

"I've just had a very uncomfortable feeling.

"It just became clear to me that I needed to send it back because owning it somehow feels very hollow now."

She said there were many people who "thoroughly and richly deserve these awards" but the system was "devalued" by others.

"The fact is the honours is broken and needs a complete overhaul by No 10 and onwards to the monarch who rubber stamps what happens," she said.

"I completely respect people have been given awards for the wonderful work they do [but] this is a personal decision."

Sarah Griffith sent a letter to the King following the return of her MBE

She had received her honour in 2014 for services to charity.

Ms Griffith posted the medal back along with a separate letter to King Charles III.

"There are these sub-posters all around the country whose lives are completely and utterly broken," she said.

"I'm a tiny voice in all of this but I just wanted to stand in solidarity with these people who I can't even begin to comprehend what they've been through."