All articles tagged with #cbe
Leah Williamson has been awarded a CBE in the 2026 New Year Honours List for her services to association football, following a successful year where she helped Arsenal win the UEFA Women’s Champions League and led England to a second consecutive UEFA European Championship title.
Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells is returning her CBE amid mounting pressure over the Horizon IT scandal, which led to over 700 sub-postmasters being wrongly prosecuted. The faulty Horizon software caused financial ruin and false accusations, with some individuals imprisoned. Vennells expressed remorse for the devastation caused and faced criticism from those affected. The scandal, described as one of the most widespread miscarriages of justice in the UK, has prompted calls for legislative action to quash convictions and expedite compensation for victims.
Susanna Reid questioned ex-Post Office minister Paul Scully on the decision to award Paula Vennells a CBE amid the Horizon scandal, where hundreds of Post Office staff were wrongly accused. Vennells announced she would return her CBE after more than one million people called for it to be revoked. The scandal, involving the Horizon IT system, led to false prosecutions and financial ruin for many. Pressure is mounting on officials, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to investigate and potentially strip Vennells of her honour, with victims sharing their stories and seeking justice.
Rishi Sunak has expressed support for the Forfeiture Committee to reconsider the CBE awarded to former Post Office boss Paula Vennells in light of the Horizon IT scandal, which led to the wrongful prosecution of Post Office staff. More than one million signatures have been gathered in a petition urging Vennells to forfeit her honour, and the committee can recommend honours be stripped if the system has been brought into disrepute. Vennells has apologized to Post Office staff, and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk is discussing ways to help the convicted branch managers clear their names.
Postal Services Minister Kevin Hollinrake has urged former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells to return her CBE in light of the Horizon IT scandal, where subpostmasters were falsely accused of financial crimes due to software errors. Hollinrake supports prosecutions if evidence is found against those involved in the miscarriage of justice. The scandal led to over 700 wrongful prosecutions between 1999 and 2015, and an inquiry has found sufficient evidence for a criminal investigation into senior staff. The Met Police is also involved in the ongoing inquiry, with some witnesses already warned about self-incrimination.