she became ceo of royal mail group _ yes. she became ceo of royal mail group in _ yes. t in 2018, and you left in early 2019. yes. a substantial period — early 2019. yes. a substantial period of— early 2019. yes. a substantial period of overlap. —— she left in 2018~ _ period of overlap. —— she left in 2018~ this— period of overlap. —— she left in 2018~ this is— period of overlap. —— she left in 2018. this is a new document for the inquiry. _ 2018. this is a new document for the inquiry, having been properly disclosed by you recently. it is an eye message exchange and i think you will be _ eye message exchange and i think you will be familiar with it. what eye message exchange and i think you will be familiar with it.— will be familiar with it. what was a reference again? _ will be familiar with it. what was a reference again? can _ will be familiar with it. what was a reference again? can you - will be familiar with it. what was a reference again? can you help - will be familiar with it. what was a reference again? can you help us. will be familiar with it. what was a l

i think that concept, the text message from the royal mail group, will be something making the headlines inquiry itself. ithink you knew. i mean, inquiry itself. ithink you knew. i mean. saying — inquiry itself. ithink you knew. i mean, saying those _ inquiry itself. ithink you knew. i mean, saying those words - inquiry itself. ithink you knew. i mean, saying those words in - mean, saying those words in playwriting from the boss of royal mail group, moya greene, was quite a moment, even if that is something she believed at the time, we don't know she believes that now, it felt like a damning indictment, and this is something people in the room took note of, and there were those big moments, that was one of them, and another was the moment she apologised because she turned to face the people in the room, that included former some postmasters and some post mistresses, i want to turn to someone in the room, thank you so much for your time. you were suspended. is that right? that's riuht. suspended. is that right? that's right- that _ suspended. is that right? that's right. that had _ suspen

in the days when they were a subsidiary of the royal— days when they were a subsidiary of the royal mail groupe that some of the issues addressed happened on your watch as network— addressed happened on your watch as network director? no, addressed happened on your watch as network director?— addressed happened on your watch as network director?_ the . network director? no, iwasn't. the note sa s network director? no, iwasn't. the note says that _ network director? no, i wasn't. the note says that the _ network director? no, iwasn't. the note says that the real _ network director? no, iwasn't. the note says that the real issue - network director? no, iwasn't. the note says that the real issue here, | note says that the real issue here, the real— note says that the real issue here, the real worry, was around the fujitsu — the real worry, was around the fujitsu expert who appeared to have known _ fujitsu expert who appeared to have known some of the problems are not referred _ known some of the problems are not referred to _ known some of the problems are not referred to them in his report or st

that the nsf p, the cw and the royal— say that the nsf p, the cw and the royal mail— say that the nsf p, the cw and the royal mail grouphin the post office main building for them to conduct business with the post office. is that something you remember? ami business with the post office. is that something you remember? am i to be in the case — that something you remember? am i to be in the case with _ that something you remember? am i to be in the case with royal _ that something you remember? am i to be in the case with royal mail _ that something you remember? am i to be in the case with royal mail but - be in the case with royal mail but not with the post office. ii'idta�*e be in the case with royal mail but not with the post office.— not with the post office. have you an idea not with the post office. have you any idea what _ not with the post office. have you any idea what the _ not with the post office. have you any idea what the value _ not with the post office. have you any idea what the value of - not with the post office. have you any idea what the value of these l any idea what the value of these facilities —

cutting through this, i this exchange reveals that even the chief executive of the royal mail group _ef executive of the royal mail group who supported you over all of those _ group who supported you over all of those years — group who supported you over all of those years doesn't believe you, does _ those years doesn't believe you, does she? — those years doesn't believe you, does she? ., those years doesn't believe you, does she?— does she? that is what this particular — does she? that is what this particular text _ does she? that is what this particular text says. - does she? that is what this i particular text says. whether does she? that is what this - particular text says. whether moya still feels the same, i don't know, you would have to ask her. flan still feels the same, i don't know, you would have to ask her.- you would have to ask her. can i turn to than _ you would have to ask her. can i turn to than i _ you would have to ask her. can i turn to than i was _ you would have to ask her. can i turn to than i was a _ you would have to ask her. can i turn to than i was a second

the horizon system was no longer anything to do with the royal mail group. ecall that i believe it was taken out-— don't recall that i believe it was takenout. ., ., ., '~ ., taken out. you had on the 16th of jul the taken out. you had on the 16th of july the board — taken out. you had on the 16th of july the board meeting _ taken out. you had on the 16th of july the board meeting where - taken out. you had on the 16th of. july the board meeting where susan crichton _ july the board meeting where susan crichton is _ july the board meeting where susan crichton is sitting outside on the naughty— crichton is sitting outside on the naughty step, you know that at the 16th of— naughty step, you know that at the 16th ofjuly board meeting the board was alarmed about potential claims against _ was alarmed about potential claims against it. — was alarmed about potential claims against it, correct?— was alarmed about potential claims against it, correct? yes. you know as well that _ against it, correct? yes. you know as well that on _ against it, correct? yes. you know

at this i time, he was group chairman of royal mail, _ time, he was group chairman of royal mail. whichhe was mail, which included post office. was chair mail, which included post office. he: was chair rmg. if you read, he says, i was a bit surprised to see the article in private either this week about a class action by sub—postmasters. it may be a bit after the horse has bolted, but may be appropriate to have an explicit litigation — legal report in the board papers for the future, obviously alice's call. shamans others is copied into this e—mail. the article raises some questions about horizon. i suspect the audit and risk committee ought to take an interest. have we ever had an independent audit of horizon? if we scroll up, please? you say in reply, you remember, this has reared its head before, iwill get you remember, this has reared its head before, i will get a brief circulated for new board members. in summary, each time any cases had gone to coat, the post office's position has been upheld. and in at least two cases, ruud gullit was proven. stopping there, this is obviously befo

focusing on moya green at the moment, she overlapped very extensively as chief executive of royal mail grouping the most senior positions in the post office. yes yes, yes, she became ceo of royal mail group in july 2010. you became md of post office in october 2010? yes. she left in 2018. and you left in early 2019? yes so a very substantial period of overlap . can we look please at overlap. can we look please at pv when 50532. this is a new document for the inquiry. having been properly disclosed by you, recently it's an email. sorry. i message exchange with moya green. and i think you'll be familiar with it. >> what was the reference again? mr sorry, pv en50532. >> thank you . can you help us to >> thank you. can you help us to date it, please ? date it, please? >> i think this is january this year. yeah >> you'll see that the way you've screenshot dated, it, includes the words yesterday at 646. that doesn't literally mean yesterday from the day that you disclose it to us. >> it was that i think moya had been away . she had come back to been away. she had come back to the uk . i have been

billionaire has upped his bid for the royal mail to 370 pence a share, or three first class stamps. yeah which totals quite a lot, actually. >> a royal mail group back £55 billion bid proposal for czech from czech billionaire. so royal mail's owners, which i learned today is international distribution services. are looking to agree a takeover by shareholder daniel kretinsky after the czech billionaire put forward a higher proposed bid, initially put one in for a 320 pence. £3.20 is coming at £3.70 now. it's a bit unfortunate that the guy's name is cretin, given what we know about the post office and recent history, but i have a lot of nostalgia for the post office. i have a lot of nostalgia for snail mail. i barely use it anymore because of the way the competitors work. >> there's a post office and royal mail. are they the same thing now? >> this is such a good point. >> this is such a good point. >> this is such a good point. >> this is such yeah , this is >> this is such yeah, this is such a good point. >> in my head, they're the same thing. yeah, i agree, but i think international distribution services owns royal mail, which don't necessaril

part of the inquiry i've heard so far today that the royal — i've heard so far today that the royal mail groupiefjackie to on the text messages that were there, said, _ the text messages that were there, said. i_ the text messages that were there, said, i cannot support you any more, that seems— said, i cannot support you any more, that seems to me that it is the fact that seems to me that it is the fact that paula — that seems to me that it is the fact that paula vennells knew about everything, and it was the fact that there _ everything, and it was the fact that there was— everything, and it was the fact that there was a — everything, and it was the fact that there was a lack of communication amongst _ there was a lack of communication amongst the whole of the ward, which was not _ amongst the whole of the ward, which was not putting together the horizon report— was not putting together the horizon report altogether, and i think if that points in time, we would not be here today. — that points in time, we would not be here today, 15 years later.— here today, 15 years later. those texts, here

can about what it all means, but can i also say that we are also so, not supported the current royal mail group. and one of the reasons this has happened is because it is a failure of privatisation. and we may disagree about that , andrew, but disagree about that, andrew, but that's the reality of it. you can't say what you're saying and not acknowledge that it's been a failure, and that boards a report yesterday was also not true. so the reason royal mail is vulnerable to such a bid is because it's been grossly mismanaged by the current board , mismanaged by the current board, something that we've talked about on your show , on other about on your show, on other shows, and for them to come out and say that it's all down to, on this occasion , a government on this occasion, a government that hadn't introduced reform on the us for years, every single postal worker , every single postal worker, every single customer knows that's not true. royal mail inflicted financial, problems on itself when it gave away 650 million, when there was an economic downturn. it never supported the workforce. it's ac

fact that this was going on the same year as they were preparing for the privatisation of the royal mail groupis is going to cause some further upset, surely. yes. and 'ust to some further upset, surely. yes. and just to pick — some further upset, surely. yes. and just to pick op — some further upset, surely. yes. and just to pick up on _ some further upset, surely. yes. and just to pick up on what _ some further upset, surely. yes. and just to pick up on what you _ some further upset, surely. yes. and just to pick up on what you just - just to pick up on what you just said there, that�*s referring to an interview i did with janet skinner. i spoke to her earlier, she is a former sub—postmistress, who went to prison because of the scandal. she was telling me that on day one she did believe at the time that paula vennells�* tears were genuine and this shows the amount of empathy it takes. she was saying it brought back all these memories of when she was grilled by investigators, grilled by lawyers, that she felt for paula vennells in that moment. but by day three after seeing some of the e—mails

this morning, it is understood that the royal mail board are ready to accept the £5 billion offer from czech businessman daniel kretinsky and his company ep group recent history has been less than successful. 0nly last week it reported a loss of nearly £350 million. and it's been failing to meet its delivery targets for years. last year, it only delivered three quarters of first class mail on time, failing to meet its target of 93%. and its second class mail target was also missed. the regulator 0fcom says there needs to be a debate on future service levels as the number of letters sent by post has halved from 14 billion in 2011 to seven billion last year. the two main options for change are to deliver most letters within three days so first class deliveries would be the exception, or that the number of days we receive post is reduced from the current six to five or even three. but these changes would require legislation. 0ne financial analyst told us that even if the czech bid is accepted by the royal mail board today, there will still be further hoops for the firm to jump through. the government and the regulators will obviously be looking fo

royal mail has indicated it is willing to sell the company to a czech billionaire after an improved takeover offer worth £3.5 billion. international distribution services said daniel kretinsky�*s investment grouping keeping six—day—a—week first class letter deliveries. a former high school headteacher has been found guilty of sexual offences against four girls. 66—year—old neil foden, who worked at a school in north wales, has been found guilty of 19 charges of sexually abusing the girls over a period of four years. here's our wales correspondent, tomos morgan. for over 25 years, neil foden was a head teacher at ysgol friars in bangor. he was previously an executive member for the national education union, but the 66—year—old was arrested after a child showed an adult a photo of them together and screenshots of sexually explicit messages. over a three—week trial, mold crown court heard how foden had groomed and abused four youngsters over a four—year period, in locations including his car and hotel rooms. he was found guilty today in 19 of the 20 counts against him, which included sexual activity with a child and sexual assault of a child. after the verdicts were read out here, thejudge, rhys

royal mail , has said that it has royal mail, has said that it has agreed to . a £3.57 billion agreed to. a £3.57 billion takeover offer from czech billionaire daniel kretinsky epp groupat the next annual general meeting, and that's going to be in september , that's going to be in september, the mayor of london has criticised the government's failure to introduce a total ban on zombie knives, calling it a betrayal of the safety of young people. sadiq khan is calling on the home secretary to bring forward the legislation, which would include a ban on the sale of weapons. we'll be speaking to our reporter, charlie peters, a little bit later on in the programme, who will be revealing how easy it was for him to purchase these knives . purchase these knives. >> britain's drivers are paying the most for diesel fuel in europe. that's according to the rac. new analysis shows retailers are not passing on falling prices and forecourts are selling diesel at an average of 155 a litre. that's 5 pm. more than anywhere else . this is more than anywhere else. this is what motoring expert fraser brown had to say . brown had to say. >> £0.18 per litre is what we're seeing for retailers