The embattled chairman of life insurer LV has come under fire for his role in the Post Office scandal.
Alan Cook was boss of the Post Office from 2006 to 2010, during which time it began the disastrous prosecution of sub-postmasters for alleged theft.
Thirty-nine were found guilty, but it was later revealed there had been a fault in the firm’s computer system – with a judge overturning the verdicts and describing the saga as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice.
Questions: LV chairman Alan Cook was boss of the Post Office from 2006 to 2010, during which time it began the disastrous prosecution of sub-postmasters for alleged theft
Some sub-postmasters were even jailed, despite being innocent. And now Cook’s role in the affair is being scrutinised by MPs, prompting fresh questions about his future at LV.
He launched the prosecutions early in his tenure at the Post Office and defended the Horizon computer system as ‘robust and fit for purpose’ when questions were raised about its reliability.
Gareth Thomas, chairman of the all-party committee on mutuals, said the 67-year-old needed to be held to account.
Cook is already facing criticism over a proposal to demutualise LV and sell it to the private equity firm Bain Capital for £530million.