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From: Mark R Davies
Sent: Sun 23/06/2019 10:36:18 AM (UTC)
To: Melanie Corfield.
Underwood1}
Angela Van-Den-Boger«
Subject: Fwd: Another computer error
FYI
I’ve advised Al to read TM’s blog at least before he calls him and said he needs to regard the conversation as
public.
Angela: I’ve suggested he calls you before he speaks to TM.
M
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From: Alisdair Cameron
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2019 11:30:29 AM
To: Mark R Davies; Ben Foat; Rob Houghton
Subject: Re: Another computer error
I want to speak to him today so I can hear the issue and we can make a judgment on it. I won’t commit us to
anything. I am aware of some of the background so if there is stuff I need to know, please get it to me - email or
phone - this morning. Many thanks Al
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Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2019 11:26 am
To: Alisdair Cameron; Ben Foat; Rob Houghton
Subject: Re: Another computer error
Al - strongly advise getting a brief from Ben/Rod before you do. There is a long history here and it’s well worth
having the background. Paula had many meetings and calls with him. Mark
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From: Alisdair Cameron
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2019 11:24:17 AM
To: Ben Foat; Rob Houghton; Mark R Davies
Subject: Fwd: Another computer error
FYI I will speak to him. Al
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From: Tim McCormack
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2019 11:18 am
To: Alisdair Cameron
Subject: Re: Another computer error
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Dear Al
Please call me Tim if you don't mind.
Iam greatly encouraged by what you say with regard to criticism. I regard that as far
more important than praise and as you say, when it is justified it can only lead to
making things better.
The error in question is serious. Details of it are being treated as confidential within my
circles and it is pretty certain that the media will be publishing something on it fairly
soon. Breaking that confidence with the people I trust could have consequences I
suppose - most notably that I will not be party to future disclosures.
However my interest in matters to do with Post Office will cease after the CCRC report
back on the Seema Misra case, presumably with a return to the Appeal court so it
doesn't matter too much I suppose. So perhaps we could have a quick chat and I will
let you know what I have heard. I would really hope that you have been told all about
it already but given the inaction of the Helpline and FSC in responding (the SPMR was
told that it would take a week or so for the FSC to get in touch) I doubt it. As Paula
pointed out when I first told her about Dalmellington her main concern was the
lackadaisical response to what was a £24k loss. This is a similar amount!
Although I might pop out for a bit during the rest of the day, I finish working in a
couple of minutes and can be contacted on ¢
Kind regards
Tim
From: Alisdair Cameron ¢
Sent: 23 June 2019 10:42
To: Tim McCormack
Subject: Re: Another computer error
Dear Mr McCormack,
Thank you so much for contacting me, I do appreciate it.
I agree we share an absolute focus on building a sustainable network for our customers and that must involve a
closer partnership with Postmasters.
You will see that I am making very substantial changes in advisers and culture and I suspect there may not prove
to be as much difference between us as you assume. Certainly I have no dislike of you and as I say repeatedly
within PO, criticism, challenge and questioning should not be taken as attacks to be defended but as
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opportunities to do better.
If you are aware of any computer issue then I would be very grateful if you would share the detail with me so I
can ensure it is investigated. In exchange I will happily sit down with you and explain what we find. Nothing is
perfect and if there is an issue we are best off acknowledging and addressing it.
Kind regards
Al
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From: Tim McCormack I
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2019 10:31 am
To: Alisdair Cameron
Subject: Another computer error
Dear Mr Cameron
I have no idea if you know of me or not but as was mentioned in Court, your predecessor certainly was and I believe
she took me reasonably seriously. I can also be reasonably certain that she and I had a mutual dislike for each other
and I would expect that to be the case with yourself. However all three of us must surely share a common purpose
and that is to see a strong and profitable Post Office network run for the benefit of ALL its members, be they
customers, subpostmasters, employees or indeed the government as the owner.
We obviously differ entirely in how that could and should be achieved and I make no apology for insisting that the
first step would be to replace the entire management team that has led the network to this crisis point. Your team in
the court room has stated that in so many words — if the claimants win it will be an existential risk to the company. I
would interpret that risk as being more to do with the sustainability of the network given the bad publicity that will
result and more people will be reluctant to take on a Post Office branch.
I have thought long and hard about bothering to write to you about the information I have to hand given that it will be
of more use to the claimants than yourself but I think it is worthy of a last shot at convincing the CEO of Post Office Ltd
that the people you rely on to provide you with the information you need to make decisions are at best ignorant of
what is actually going on or perhaps more likely totally incompetent.
I don’t know what they have brought to your attention recently but the single most important piece of information
you should be dealing with right now is a new error in your computer systems that, as it stands, cannot be introduced
into the current trial but should be. This error places the boot on the other foot so to speak and it is for POL to
discover not SPMRs. It is not just the error that you should be concerned with it is the fact that your company has
learned nothing from the past and the revelations in court. Nothing has changed and it won’t as long as these people
remain in a complete state of denial that the events that are unfolding now have occurred in the past and will occur
again in the future. No amount of counter measures that Dr Worden has helpfully suggested might be in place can
change the problem of the culture and ability of the people you should be able to trust.
The solution to all of this is perfectly simple. Second Sight was stopped from exploring further and finding the true
extent of the problems inherent in your organisation. They need to be re-appointed to finish what they started and
they need the support of someone who wants to discover the truth and who is willing to make the changes to prevent
any re-occurrence.
Finally, consider this, and I must assume you have done so in the past, but do it again now. How could POL have
prevented this trial? What steps should have been taken from the very start of the introduction of Horizon and how
should the relationship between subpostmasters and POL have been handled? You need to answer these questions
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and implement the solutions to ensure that POL has no need to revisit these matters once again in the not too distant
future. The people that are responsible for the current state of affairs are not part of the solution.
With the best of intentions
Yours sincerely
Tim McCormack
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