Post Office Inquiry: chair forced to intervene as witness clashes with counsel
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- Опубликовано: 20 июн 2024
- Sir Wynn Williams was forced to intervene during the Post Office Inquiry on Friday as witness George Thomson traded barbs with counsel Julian Blake.
The former general secretary of the National Federation of Subpostmasters was reminded by the chair to give direct answers, after frequent prompts to do so by the barrister.
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The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.
wish it had been mr beer doing the questioning
Absolute nonsense to say the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.
How come people like Sir Alex Ferguson, Peo Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp became so successful in their careers, do you think they just sat in the corner being quiet
Does farting count?
@@ethzero Yes. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@Pmrace1960 He's getting ready to question the most important witness of all next week, Gareth Jenkins, who designed the computer system.
He went home after this, convinced, ‘he had shown them’. Arsehole of the first order.
I get the feeling that when he got home & opened the door, his wife & kids all stood there ready & shouted at him "You Bloody Idiot...!!! You've made a complete fool of yourself...!!!" 😢😢😢
Yes, absolutely. "I showed that lot!"
A thoroughly vile man. Listened to his whole evidence. Bordering on evil.
Bordering? 😄As with bullies the world over his bullying is an attempt to cover his weakness, lack of morality, intelligence and integrity. You are quite right Andrew, a vile man indeed.
A thug and bully boy. Doesn’t like to justify himself does he?
That's what a Brit union man is known as.
@@karensayer3089not surprised you're a "karen"
And this is a union rep meant to be representing their members,however this idiot is only representing himself..incompetence at its highest and I bet he cuddled up to the bosses of the post office…a blaw Jaw is the saying I would use!…
@@karensayer3089he is definitely cut from the same cloth as a typical old-school 1970s union man. Angry, self important, does t like to be challenged and always in fight mode.
@@archwombat9250 Q. Was he an illegitimate child of Arthur Scargill?
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Well said …
What a thoroughly awful organisation the the Post office is if this in the hands of the kind of people we have seen in this inquiry. A bunch of spivs, chancers and heartless monsters led by CoE vicar.😂
And a shocking number of the most scandalous culprits are still working with impunity in senior positions at Post Office.
Ladies and gentlemen, I told you before these people are innocent to be found, not guilty because the post office was cyber hacked by cyber criminals from China and Israel and Bangladesh, before their Internet was operational the money was untraceable and invisible, taking off people / do me a favour, put China shipping up in court for cyber hacking us for billions of pounds, which cost the UK poverty
HE is not a post office employed or employee he was a trade union official and Leader 😢 employed by his Union
Well put
@@russellbradley454 I know he is.
Know all arrogant loud bully
Thinks he’s the big man 😂
@@coolzombie816 Big man = small … ego.
He has absolutely no idea about complex software systems. It doesn't matter how many transactions have been carried out successfully there can still be bugs, errors and defects. It's why Microsoft updates Windows on the second Tuesday of every month. It's why every new release of IOS, Android and Windows needs a major update shortly after release
There's an explanation Software developers are creating better and better idiot proof systems and nature is creating better and better idiots.
Imagine, at your place of work, some money goes missing. You get blamed. If you deny it you are threatened with court resulting in prison. Or if you admit it you just get a suspended sentence or community punishment. So to avoid prison you admit guilt. Over and done with you think. Then your company sues you for court costs because you were found guilty, you owe £350,000 in court costs. Your life ruined. This company is called the Post Office. Their logo is " whatever you need us for, we're here for you". They spent £100 million in expensive lawers to try to avoid paying £58 million in compensation. The class action saw the incorrectly convicted see £20,000 in compensation after court costs. The executive salaries were between £250,000 and £500,000. Post Office investigators were given bonuses for every Horizon conviction
Well summarised 👍
imagine... imagine this process is used for all purposes across all court processes. The criminal magistrates court is a scam too. If only people would represent themselevs and insist on a hearing for all matters.
To add: Whether it was £58 million compensation or £100 million in legal fees, due to the mindset of POL we, the taxpayer, are paying for it.
The guy who lost £350,000 didn't admit it which is why the post office decided to destroy his life completely as a lesson to others.
The Post Office needs some serious rebranding after this criminal debacle. I’d love to see the British people get more behind the Post Masters and the people of Sub Post Offices that suffered, and use other alternatives, of which sadly there aren’t many at present. These people being brought to book truly are the vilest of people!
He brings shame on Scotland.
Ah, come on. On the whole country? Every country has gits in it. Even we English have one or two.
how this normal .he braver than most too here on his own and not with a pub full of him picking on one not a scot.
This inquiry keeps revealing more and more layers of incompetence, greed, narcissism and venal behaviour. How much more was there......and is there still?
How would you know , you see scripted questions , there is one narrative . Well done pal stick up for yourself
@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730 Heh - your name isn't... Thomson by any chance? You know, that bullying, aggressive t@sspot who threw his members to the wolves so he could keep his nice sinecure of a job, so that his paymasters could, in their turn, keep their jobs, so that their political paymasters could, in turn, keep their jobs?
This is what almost every large corporation is like, if my experience of working at various corporations is anything to go by. You only rise to the top and stay there if you're a psychopath and a bully
@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730
Your grammar is truly appalling..however I suspect you’re probably Scottish too so you’re sticking up for your gae boil yer ‘ead pal….😂
I read about him in Nick Wallis’ book and if anything the reality is even more obnoxious and confrontational than Wallis’ description. I’d normally like to ask how he sleeps at night, but one gets the very clear impression he sleeps just fine
I am afraid that you are sadly correct.
In the words of Mc Bain from the Simpsons when asked that same question, "On a big bag of money."
Non so blind as those that will not see! The man had no interest in protecting the innocent victims. He was too naive to understand that the Horizon system can still make mistakes even if it processed millions of other transactions successfully. His whole attitude was that Sub-postmasters must be guilty (because they usually are) and that Horizon was fault free. Such a nasty rude person with absolutely no compassion. And he claims the Nation Federation of sub-masters was there to help sub-postmasters - certainly not under his leadership.
He wasn't naive. He was bought at the going rate
Self interest by this bully (i bet hos poor Mrs is deaf as a ppst)....he's not struggling i bet....he will get his for sure
He did manage to make one thing quite clear - that is if he had tried to help the sub - postmasters he wouldn't have been of any use.
The only thing he made clear to me was that he had no intention of helping the post masters. Because he was in bed with the post office.
It’s the old adage, if I shout and rant loud enough no one will ask questions I don’t want to answer!
I'll bet the Scots are wishing he was English 😂😂😂
@@biker-jy9rv I felt ashamed to be a partly Scottish, even though I am Welsh by blood. I have lived a large part of my life in Scotland and honestly there are not many like him in my part of Scotland...
@@biker-jy9rv it’s ok, the rest of them are. They’ve floated from job to job with barely an interview. Just the right school will do.
Mr Blake was the epitome of calm in the face of a shouty Scottish thug (and I say that with deep sadness from Scotland). Mr Thomson conducted himself with no dignity at all and his rant about Alan Bates was quite frankly jaw dropping....
At one point he moaned that it was expecting too much for his organisation to take on the Post Office because it lacked resources. Alan Bates started as one man with no resources and still took on the Post Office.
@@andrewcarter7503Exactly. Brilliantly said.
@@andrewcarter7503 it was astonishing wasn't it? He, George Thomson, was just so awful
Ironically, he used to call himself a socialist and became a local councillor on that basis. Done very well for himself has George Thomson.
as they usually do..... Too many 'socialists' behave that way.
Why am I not surprised to read that !.Been a shop steward myself but never took the Queens shilling but knew plenty that did. Unions are only interested in recruitment & retention of members & not representing members
lol keyboard warriors with no facts no insight and a mainstream narrative. Oh so easy to herd the sheep .
He was employed by POL not the sub postmasters.
Another part of the conspiracy to fraudulently prosecute innocent victims.
The post office minder .
@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730 Are you defending Thomson?
What a joke this piece of work is. He definitely needs investigating.
He will be....and there are others looking at him
Disgusting behaviour no respect.
what a corrupt thug this man is - tho I laughed when he responded to Stein by saying that being called aggressive by you is a bit rich
This guy knows he’s as guilty as hell. So he had 2 choices to make when I came to this enquiry. He chose the undignified option.
He made things worse for himself.
I wish the barristers had been firmer on insisting that he answer the question put, rather than going off on a rant. What an awful man. I feel fortunate that I have never had to work with such a repulsive individual completely devoid of any redeeming features.
finding out finally, the union was on the payroll of Royal Mail just like a few others in the UK.
Correction....So called Union!
@@rosssimpson6268NOT a union , a Federation created by the PO . A different thing altogether.
Thomson's got too much to say, he's a big mouth.
With a small brain. What a combination, ignorance and verbal flatulence.
Because he has been thrown under the bus
Too much to say, and a few pieces of truth. I don't support Mr Thomson in his other views, but certain aspects ring true.
Poor analogy, he was driving the bus
He was trying to darken counsel with irrelevant elaborations. The judge put him in his place sure enough.
I don't think Mr Thomson quite grasps what an "inquiry" is. I'm glad Sir Wyn is taking none of it.
He had taken the 30 pieces of silver to coin a biblical saying.
Paula's lap dog that nasty toad
Sir Wyn Williams seems like he's talking from above😶🌫️
Thomson should go to hell
its so obvious this man was in the pocket of the PO
turn the volume up!
IKR! It's crazy quiet.
Exactly what I was thinking. FFS guys
YES the sound is far too low.
He was accused of "being in bed with Paula Vennells" which, given the state of them both, is a horrible image! Arrrrgh!
That's tonight's nightmare sorted then.
Oh my God , I have just been sick .
I take it you all must look good ? Commenting on people’s appearance is real low . Uninformed trolls at your best
@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730 I don't think it's a comment on people's looks... it's a feeling of disgust about the morals and lies.... I hope @MikePowerWeb that I have understood you....
@@claredavies764 read again, definitely body shaming . Not cool
Obnoxious is the only word to describe this "self important" nobody!
He's a legend in his own mind.......
He's confirmed one thing, he's clearly not a critical thinker. Didn't do himself any favours with his aggressive and at times dismissive attitude. His relationship with POL management appears to have been far too cosy.
Different culture, he was brought up with a reason to hate the English that cuts to the bone of anyone south of their border and which permeates everything north of it.
When the staunch papist and pseudo friend of the uneducated northern Muslims, George Galloway, says he detest you he is not hyperbolising as he usually does, he really means it.
I survived up there for about fourteen years trying my hardest not to turn full alpha, or "go native" as is the English way of describing it.
Dod (George) is not an "alpha", just in case you thought he was. He would pass as clean living and mild-mannered man with only a slight tendency toward hardnose-edness (I think I may have just made an addition to your vocabulary), unless confronted by the evil English. lol
Nothing that you say or do you will sway his mindset one iota, or a smidgen.
As I watched this episode of Great Britian's traditions, habits, and values, I admit I did laugh quite a bit, I could see what was coming before it happened. He didn't disappoint me. Even swearing in had a chip on its utterance. It is nearly 5pm London time and by now he is well on his way to being "anointed" as another Rob Roy MacGregor. If they make a statue for him too let's hope it is nothing like the statue of Rob Roy McGregor found out near Peterculter, near Aberdeen. If you google this wear sunglasses.
Good News Alert:
If the "distinguished" engineer appears on the 25th of June, Tuesday, he is billed for four prime time shows lasting a full inquiry week of four days, then we may be in for a treat especially if Mr Gareth Jenkins has indeed waived his right of refusal to answer any questions on the grounds that it may incriminate him even now as he is part of a criminal investigation for telling porkies that genuinely put the innocent behind bars as I type, and he is one of your own. Ouch!
think if he makes it to a trial unless the jury is made up of 12 relatives his attitude and belligerence he no chance of a not guilty verdict
he must be a monster in all interactions as all he does is shout and bluster and thinks he can win an argument that way. No emotional intelligence at all just a shouter getting his own way by ramming home what he thinks is a telling argument when in fact he's avoiding the question
Imagine what his family have to put up with ...
@@rchelihaven5027 his poor wife
I wonder to what extent he actually egged on prosecutions such is his clear disdain for postmasters ? An odious man hell bent on inflicting suffering irrespective of the truth.
Going to the top of my list for flying the Workers Union flag and playing for the other Team.
Why didn’t someone/ anyone stop this verbal diarrhoea by saying to this witness “ Have you read the name of the enquiry and its terms of reference?” iE Post office enquiry Horizon. Therefore it’s irrelevant what happened before Horizon! Also I’d have asked him how he would have felt if his wife had “found” unexplainable shortages and had been interviewed under caution.!!! He might have blustered but he couldn’t say he would have been happy had she been prosecuted!( hypothetical)!
He so lacks empathy that he probably wouldn't have cared.
Has the "gentleman" not any respect for the members he represents, to actually wear a suit and tie in attending the inquiry?
He looks as though he has a problem even doing up his shirt. Interesting that everyone has managed to arrive in a suit except two union reps
He wants to show himself as one of the workers
@@kitroman88 A rather shallow comment, although I get it in this context. Kay Linnell didn't have a tie on, but she knew how to answer questions.
They are asking unfair questions, so surely you would get annoyed ?
@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730 Why are the questions unfair, George? The inquiry wasn't set up to massage your ego but to get truth from people like you instead of the farrago of deceit and self-interest the postmasters and your paymasters - we the public - have been fed for years.
Grubby George has done the SPMs a huge favour. He has shown in high definition exactly what the SPMs were up against. Horrible man.
He was pathetic to listen too , and his insistence that the Horizon is the best thing since slice bread despite everything we had heard and seen since the inquiry began just beggars belief , but there again he was in the post office pocket to the tune of over £2 million wasn't he.
No wonder the sub-masters federation didn’t provide him with legal assistance. It would have been a very different story if his office was one affected
(Sir) Alan Bates; unpaid(?) ; did more for sub postmasters, than this paid individual did.
I knew a guy like this from work. The guests at his birthday parties were the bosses, not his friends or relatives.
Wouldn't do a stroke unless there was a manager/boss present. Then it was - look at me, I'm a grafter.
I'm a company man😅😅
They just cant say we were wrong spending this amount of money just pay these oeople what they are owed ffs
I used to work at the cafe in Tranent that he owns, and he said I'd get my p45, but he's holding it! I left a month ago. so I've had to get hmrc to take over. Plus, I'm having to look into my pension as he only paid it sometimes and not others. Suspicious behaviour if you ask me!
Is this the cafe and post office that was opened in 2019 which prior was the Coop building?
George Thomson The Post Office Pet Poodle
Despicable. It's utterly despicable.
A small minnow who thinks he’s a trout.
You sold out mate, face it.
Ahhh I see he is pleading insanity …as all the rest of this den of vipers have worn out the plea of I don’t recollect🙄
Little man, with some power
I'm pleased that Vennels is aligned with this man as it shows where she is at.
Unhinged, is this what it takes to get to senior positions in this country
Worse than evil. He should be sued for not doing his job properly.
This man is a total disgrace he’s supposed to be representing the membership, done nothing for the sub postmasters I suppose he has a large retirement income which should be withdrawn
Lindayoung: Yes has the brain of a stegosaurus!! Lost for words really regarding him!
Imagine the poor lady who might be married to a thing like that......I bet he's a right barrel of laughs at a party!
If this case goes the right way all these people who are on the post office from the top down and including mr Thompson should be serving time at his majesty's pleasure
Thomson hasn’t LOST the plot, he wasn’t ever in POSESSION of it!
lol 😂 how would you know
@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730 You're not getting any upvotes, you know.
How do you not know?@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730
how do you not know😂
What a tool
Nothing but a stand over merchant
Have watched this and made an appointment to see an audiologist. I'm going deaf!!
I am Scot and even to me he sounds aggressive and defensive.
... and pig ignorant. (I'm a a fellow Scot)
In denial about his conduct. Forget about those 700+ prosecuted but is he in denial that thousands agents (2,800) have made claims to a scheme called Horizon Shortfall Scheme, even though he still thinks that Horizon was entirely OK.
Anyone who thinks complex software is bug free is either fooling themselves or a fool.
Couldn’t hear a thing volume extremely low
i thought it was me...adjusted my sound to no avail....pity would have liked to have heard wyn telling him off
@@paulrichards6894 there is another video of this which is louder
@@mtbailey106 thanks
if this is the guy's 'rep' for problems, imagine whom they've hired to prosecute them?! no thank you!
I make no apologies in sating this man conned his members
Management lackay - not doing his job properly
Wow.
And the POL was apparently wanting to look aftrr its brand reputation. Well I think its safe to say that we all now know where its reputation is....in the gutter would be my guess.
Disgusting in all senior areas.
Belligerent to his core.
Jail time approaching....😂
Omg he clearly doesnt get that this is about a group of people who had their lives destroyed by a system that they REFUSED to believe was at fault NOT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR HAND IN THE
Should be STRIPPED of his pension as he is and was a POST OFFICE BULLY
Shown up for what a REAL CRAWLER this BALLOON really is
Thomson and Bradshaw will get on well they have been to the same school as each other called Thugs academy
Not answering the question but instead blustering and obfuscating to avoid accountability
Just answer the question , i dont want your life history , in other words shut up and listen to whats been asked .
George likes the sound of his own voice...
Volume?
Not hard to see how this guy became a union boss. I wonder if anybody has ever put him in his place.
The empty can rattles the most.
About time these people were held to account this inquiry has been too Long justice for the post masters and Post lady's
George Thomson the Small Retailer CARRYING the Local Post Office IS EXACTLY what SAVED the local post office and you OBJECTED! Wow a real Lap Dog of Paula Vennels!
He couldn’t or wouldn’t listen to the question he was being asked he jumped in with his version of events. If you watch his full interview to the end you will see his email to PO management. He knows this will be coming up. He is a thoroughly dishonest character. If I had been the chairman I would have stepped in more often and also reminded him that it’s Sir Alan Bates for the purposes of this exercise.
Poacher turned Gamekeeper!
Got a mouth on him like a ripped pocket, he clearly wants to run with the hounds after the fox, as he would be no good on his own, would you have this man for a friend, he would be the Judas, an wouldn’t be out of place as you could hear him before you saw him.
How many more of these caricatures from the post office are there?!
What an absolute disgrace to not only the Union who must be cringing at the absurdity of this fool but to Scotland as well !! Rab C Nesbitt the second “ I’m telling you this boy” !!
....never think that you're cleverer than the Brief asking questions....!
I hope a criminal trial comes out of all of this.
Dreadful man.
why such hostilty, astonishing conduct
done himself no favours especially as some post masters took their own lives
Defensive- he knows he's on the wrong side of the whole scandal and let himself get seduced and stiched up by POL. No-one to blame for his own moral bankruptcy but himself. Now he's shown the world who and what he is.
This so called representative for sub postmasters acting as judge and jury for the post office. His assumption that many postmaster were practising fraud speaks volumes about his character
Bully boy.....!!
Why ? Because he wouldn’t let himsebe bullied ?
@@blackwaterposeidonthewhipp7730 Because you're a bully, George. Maybe you were picked on as a bairn, but that's no reason to take it out on your subpostmaster members.
its because of people like him that I left the union, talks a good fight but happy to take the envelope when offered
Arrogant, bullying little man!
I am pleased that this man has spoken the truth during his evidence.
It is clear listening to Mr Thomson, that unsound convictions were a deterrent to protect the Post Office Brand
He reminds me of Jack Nicholson’s character in the film ‘A Few Good Men’, just itching to stop playing the game and telling it as it was.
These unsafe convictions were ‘Code Reds’ to ensure that the Post Office could carry on with business as usual.
Of course, the situation required a team of internal audit officers, reporting to the Senior Non Executive Director, to look at the unsafe convictions and address them, an internal check on the unsavory bunch of investigators, that acted like the Gestapo throwing their weight around, that would have ensured the integrity of the Post Office Brand and ensured that no one went to prison or had their lives ruined as a result of being collateral damage, and for what, financing a team that would cost not more than £500k per year, a drop in the ocean for the Post Office, and none of this would have occurred
The old adage, who audits the auditors is never my apparent then in the Post Office Scandal.
Thank you Mr Thomson, I don’t like you as an individual, I don’t like the way you acted as an envoy for Vennells and Co, however I like your honesty, it is very welcome.
100% agree.
George - "No, Mr KC, even with "Second Sight" I declare the Earth IS flat, just look at the "Horizon" for yourself, its perfectly on the level."
What Mr Thomson is doing here is trying to justify his legacy at the Federation. The problem for him now - and I think this is why it is such a sore point for him - is that the Federation has disowned him. Of course it very much suits the Federation to paint Mr Thomson as their scapegoat - the truth is they were with him all the way and backed him to the hilt when he was in the job.
Hand in hand
that shines through.........all about ££££££££££££££££
Empty barrels make the most noise.
It is easy to dismiss what Mr Thomson is saying.
Moreover, is he provaricating; unlike some other witnesses?
Ask that guy the time and he'll tell you how a clock works!😃