Inquiry Chair Forced To Intervene As Audience Groans At Paula Vennells' Statement

Transcript

00:00 Did you remain in contact with Mr Davis after you left post office?

00:04 I did.

00:05 Did you exchange messages with him about media statements that you might make

00:11 and the media lines that you might take in the announcement of this inquiry for example?

00:18 I believe the inquiry has texts that show that.

00:23 Even though you'd moved on, he was still advising you into 2020 as the lines to take

00:31 in your media statements.

00:33 I had kept in touch with Mr Davis for reasons that were very personal to him

00:42 and I think he offered that advice at the time.

00:53 To what extent did what Mr Davis advised here affect your decision making?

01:01 I would never, it was simply not the way I worked,

01:08 have taken a decision based on the advice of one colleague.

01:11 Never.

01:13 My way of working was to take as many different views as I possibly could

01:22 and to involve those individuals in the decision making as much as I possibly could.

01:26 Can we look at the top of page one please?

01:28 Your reply.

01:32 Mark, thanks for this.

01:35 I don't think we're too far apart.

01:37 I didn't say this approach would be our media statement but they'd need to be aligned.

01:42 You're right to call this out.

01:46 I will take your steer.

01:48 You did take the advice of the PR guy, didn't you?

01:52 I really don't remember it relating to the decision.

02:00 Hang on now please.

02:01 Thank you.

02:04 now please. Thank you.