Sir Ed Davey was notably absent from a 90-minute Commons debate about the Post Office scandal this evening.
One MP who spotted his empty green seat described Sir Ed’s failure to attend the crucial and emotive debate as “shameful”, given the rumbling demands for him to resign over his role in the injustice.
Despite not being present, the Lib Dem leader still came under fire from one veteran Tory MP, who described his attempt to wriggle off the hook as “reprehensible”.
Sir Edward Leigh, who served in the same ministerial role as Sir Ed from 1990 to 1993, tore the Lib Dem leader’s defence to shreds, saying ministers are ultimately responsible for any scandal in their area of competence.
The veteran Tory told the Commons: “I’m glad that the minister is asserting the principle of ministerial responsibility, which has been very clear long since the Crichel Down case, where even if the minister isn’t personally responsible he is responsible for what goes wrong”.
“When I was minister for the Post Office that was made clear to me, and I think it’s reprehensible that at least one of my successors is trying to dodge the bullet in this way and just say ‘Oh I was given the wrong advice’
“If we own the Post Office, the minister is responsible and that is a principle we have to establish.”
While Sir Edward did not mention Ed Davey by name, it was a clear attack on the Lib Dem leader, who is now facing calls to resign over his role.
The Lib Dem leader served as minister for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs during the Coalition, from 2010 to 2012.
During his time in the job, he failed to investigate the details of the Horizon scandal, despite letters from victims.
Jo Hamilton, who led a landmark appeal in the postmasters campaign, has now said Sir Ed should have “done his job”.
“Of course Davey should have been asking more questions, he’s the minister, what does he get his ministerial salary for if he’s not asking questions. What did he think, we were just moaning? I can’t believe it.
“If you’re the minister you deal with stuff — that is the job. You have to earn your money for doing the job like the rest of us. They’re called public servants but they do anything but serve the public.
“He always calls for other people’s resignations, now it’s time for him to look in the mirror.”
Sir Ed Davey has called for the resignations of 31 public figures since becoming Lib Dem leader in April 2019.
A spokesman for Sir Ed now says he “wishes he could have done more to help”.
They added that the Lib Dem leader has been lied to “on an industrial scale” by the Post Office and other ministers.
Despite the anger being directed towards him, MPs’ eyebrows were raised this afternoon after Sir Ed failed to attend the Commons for an Urgent Question about the latest developments in the scandal.
Current Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake took MP’s questions for over an hour and a half on the scandal, covering everything from compensation and justice for victims, retribution for the Post Office’s leadership and the role of ITV’s docudrama in bringing the topic to renewed public prominence.
