Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has issued a stark apology for his role in the Post Office Horizon scandal, acknowledging he "should have done more" while serving as postal affairs minister during the coalition government.
The embattled MP faced dramatic protests during his election campaign in Kingston and Surbiton, where victims of the miscarriage of justice confronted him directly about his ministerial inaction.
Confrontation on the Campaign Trail
In a remarkable scene that underscores the ongoing political fallout from the scandal, Sir Ed was approached by a former sub-postmaster holding a sign reading "No hiding place, Ed" and another campaigner demanding to know why he had "failed to act" when presented with evidence of the Horizon system's flaws.
The tense exchange saw Sir Ed admit his regret directly to protesters, stating he understood their anger and frustration after hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted based on faulty Fujitsu software.
Ministerial Regret and Justification
During his tenure as postal affairs minister between 2010 and 2012, Sir Ed repeatedly dismissed concerns raised by sub-postmaster Alan Bates, who later became the central figure in the ITV drama that brought the scandal to national attention.
"I was deeply misled by Post Office executives," Sir Ed explained, defending his record while acknowledging his failure to detect the deception. "Like many others, I regret not seeing through the Post Office's lies sooner."
Political Reckoning Continues
The controversy has placed Sir Ed's Kingston and Surbiton seat under increased scrutiny, with opponents questioning his ministerial judgment during one of Britain's most widespread miscarriages of justice.
As the Liberal Democrat leader fights to retain his constituency, the Post Office scandal continues to create political waves, demonstrating how historical government failures can resurface to shape current electoral battles.
With public anger still raw and compensation processes ongoing, the confrontation suggests that political accountability for the Horizon scandal remains very much alive in the minds of voters and victims alike.
