Just when you think we’re finally making rapid progress on righting the historic wrong of the Horizon scandal which ruined the lives of hundreds of subpostmasters, several of them local to Tameside, yet more scandal presents itself.

This weekend, I was shocked to read allegations in The Sunday Times from the former Chair of the Post Office that he was instructed by the Government to “go slow” on compensation and “limp” to the next election.

These are incredibly serious allegations. Under no circumstances should compensation to victims be delayed. Doing so would be a further insult to subpostmasters.

I know from the devastating experience of former subpostmasters like Idu Miah in Mossley, and from the strength of feeling expressed from constituents in my mailbag, that local people agree the wait for justice has already been too long. We urgently need to get on with sorting compensation and getting wrongful convictions quashed.

The Horizon scandal left people who were pillars of their communities isolated, their livelihoods lost, their futures uncertain. Some tragically died without getting justice.

It is understandable that fear of further delays or cover-ups will be causing survivors considerable anguish. This week Chris Head, a former subpostmaster falsely accused of owing more than £80,000, called for all correspondence between the Government and the Post Office to be published.

It is imperative the Prime Minister now step up to draw a line under this, give post-masters like Chris peace of mind, and release that correspondence.

That’s what I’ve been pushing for this week as Shadow Business Secretary. I’ve written public letters to the Business Secretary and the Deputy Prime Minster urging for transparency, and led an urgent question in the House of Commons.

I told the chamber people’s faith in Government, already damaged by scandals such as Hillsborough, Bloody Sunday and Windrush, is hanging by a thread. The Horizon scandal has shown the damage that can occur when institutions are allowed to operate without oversight or are shrouded in secrecy. The full sunlight of public scrutiny must be brought to bear.

I very much hope that by the time you read this, the truth will have been outed, and progress toward righting this injustice will be back on track.