Poll results: The Post Office Horizon scandal and public IT

Thrust back into the public eye by the ITV drama series “Mr Bates vs The Post Office” the Post Office Horizon scandal - where hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective Fujitsu IT system - has dominated the UK headlines. 

The success of the series, and the way in which it has reignited interest in an issue that appeared to be fading from public memory, is a powerful example of the important role docudrama can play in shaping the national debate. More broadly though, it has served as a sobering reminder of the perils of unquestioning faith in technology.

Given the mounting public outrage and growing talk of criminal proceedings against those involved, it’s tempting to think the chances of such an event happening again are low, but the lack of accountability thus far should give us pause for thought. Although criminal investigations are now reportedly underway, those who presided over the scandal are yet to face any consequences (beyond former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells being pressured into handing back her CBE). Indeed, Fujitsu, developer of the technology at the heart of the scandal, has reportedly been awarded 191 UK government contracts worth more than £6.5bn since 2013.