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The business secretary has said she “felt there was a need for new leadership” at the Post Office as it was announced its chairman is being forced out of the role.

Henry Staunton has stepped down amid ongoing tensions with the government in the wake of the Horizon IT scandal.

An interim will be appointed “shortly”, the Department for Business and Trade said.

Henry Staunton
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Henry Staunton

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said: “The Post Office is rightfully under a heightened level of scrutiny at this time.

“With that in mind, I felt there was a need for new leadership, and we have parted ways with mutual consent.”

Mr Staunton’s departure follows frustration in Whitehall over the company’s governance, including a row over the prospective appointment of a new senior independent director, Sky News reported on Saturday.

Insiders told Sky News his exit was not directly related to the Horizon scandal itself, but there had been differences of opinion between him and the government as to the best candidate for the job.

Mr Staunton had been tasked with leading the board of directors as the business reels from the fallout of what has been described as the UK’s biggest miscarriage of justice.

More than 700 branch managers were prosecuted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their shops.

Hundreds of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses are still awaiting compensation despite the government announcing those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.

Read more:
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Former sub-postmaster ‘overwhelmed’ after conviction overturned

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Former sub-postmaster exonerated

Call for ‘major change’ in senior management

Labour MP Kevan Jones told Sky News the government needed to explain why it had sacked Mr Staunton, adding: “I would also argue that there needs to be major changes in the senior management of the Post Office.

“Remember, on his watch, the senior executives who got bonuses for cooperation with the public inquiry, even though the public inquiry is still trying to get information out of the Post Office. So no, there’s more changes got to happen.”

Mr Jones also said there “should be a serious question mark” over Post Office boss Nick Reed’s position.

Tory peer Lord Arbuthnot, who has sought justice for the sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses, ruled himself out of the running to replace Mr Staunton.

“There is a need for dramatic cultural and governance change which can be brought in only by someone with experience of doing that sort of thing,” he told The Independent.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch will appear on today’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, which starts at 8.30am.

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Trump reignites row with ‘nasty’ Sadiq Khan as Starmer responds

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Trump reignites row with 'nasty' Sadiq Khan as Starmer responds

Donald Trump has reignited his row with London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan after calling him a “nasty person” who has done “a terrible job”.

During an hour-long news conference with Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland, the US president hit out at the Labour mayor, who has responded with his own snipey remarks.

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Asked if he would visit London during his state visit in September, Mr Trump said: “I will, I’m not a fan of your mayor, I think he’s done a terrible job.

“A nasty person, I think.”

The prime minister then interrupted and said: “He’s a friend of mine.”

But the president added: “I think he’s done a terrible job but I will certainly visit London, I hope so.”

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Sir Sadiq’s spokesperson then released a statement saying: “Sadiq is delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.

“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger not weaker; richer, not poorer.

“Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his presidency.”

The Right Honourable Sir Sadiq Khan after receiving the Honour of Knighthood during an Investiture ceremony.
Pic: PA
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Sir Sadiq Khan was knighted in June. Pic: PA

They noted that Sir Sadiq has won three mayoral elections, including when Mr Trump lost the US election in 2020.

This is not the first time Mr Trump and Sir Sadiq have locked horns.

Read more:
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Prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer (right) and Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan lays a wreath at the 7/7 Memorial, in Hyde Park, London, to mark
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The PM told Mr Trump that Sir Sadiq is a friend of his – seen here laying wreaths for the anniversary of the 7/7 bombings. Pic: PA

During his first presidential term, Mr Trump called the London mayor a “stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London”.

Sir Sadiq then described Mr Trump as a “poster boy for racists”.

And in November 2024, after Mr Trump won his second term, Sir Sadiq said many Londoners would be “fearful” about what it would “mean for democracy”.

However, as Sir Keir tried to show diplomacy with Mr Trump after becoming PM, Sir Sadiq said he “wanted to work closely with the American president” ahead of his inauguration in January.

The London mayor said as somebody “who believes in democracy, and voting and elections, we should recognise the fact that Donald Trump is the elected president of the United States”.

But he added: “Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this president is different from the last time he was president.”

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Trump’s Truth Social Bitcoin ETF among multiple crypto funds delayed by SEC

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Trump’s Truth Social Bitcoin ETF among multiple crypto funds delayed by SEC

Trump’s Truth Social Bitcoin ETF among multiple crypto funds delayed by SEC

The SEC delayed decisions on the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF and Grayscale’s Solana Trust, extending review periods as the US Congress moves with crypto regulation.

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Anti-CBDC bill could curb Fed’s power over digital dollar, sponsor says

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Anti-CBDC bill could curb Fed’s power over digital dollar, sponsor says

Anti-CBDC bill could curb Fed’s power over digital dollar, sponsor says

The US House of Representatives will be in recess for the month of August, but the Senate still has a week of business to address two crypto bills before breaking.

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