Event Report: “Another Post Office Scandal?” — Packed Parliamentary Summit Demands Tax Justice for Investment Fraud Victims
Date: Monday 12 May 2025
Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Committee Room 11, UK Parliament
Hosted by:
The Investment Fraud Committee (APPG on Investment Fraud & Fairer Financial Services)
In Partnership with:
The Transparency Task Force (TTF)
Chaired by:
Carly Barnes-Short, Co-Chair, Investment Fraud Special Advisory Committee
Co-hosted by:
Andy Agathangelou, Founder of the Transparency Task Force
A full and engaged Committee Room 11 in the Houses of Parliament provided a powerful setting for “Another Post Office Scandal? Ten Years of Injustice for Investment Fraud Victims vs HMRC”—a landmark summit that brought the voices of victims directly to the heart of Westminster.
Hosted by the Investment Fraud Committee in partnership with the Transparency Task Force, the event was chaired by lawyer and fraud campaigner Carly Barnes-Short and co-hosted by TTF Founder Andy Agathangelou.
Before a packed audience of MPs, peers, legal professionals, journalists, campaigners, and those directly affected, the summit exposed the mounting crisis of investment fraud in the UK—particularly within pensions and professional sport—and the growing outrage over HMRC’s pursuit of victims for tax liabilities, penalties, and interest arising from financial misconduct they did not cause.
Featured speakers included:
Baroness Newlove, Lord Mann, Deputy Speaker Caroline Nokes, Sarah Bool MP, and Alex Sobel MP, who offered crucial political and policy insights, reinforcing the urgent need for systemic reform.
Carly Barnes-Short, who, joined by former England footballers Danny Murphy and Brian Deane shared a powerful account of the emotional and reputational toll of fraud on athletes and public figures.
Sue Flood, a survivor of regulated pension fraud, who spoke with courage and clarity on behalf of victims nationwide, alongside renowned pensions campaigner Margaret Snowdon OBE.
Kim Goldsmith, victim advocate and campaigner, who gave voice to the long-term trauma and lack of victim support.
Jeremy Cornford, financial advisor, who drew critical parallels with the Horizon and Loan Charge scandals, pointing to repeating patterns of state failure.
Simon Myerson KC, a leading barrister on tax and fraud, who provided legal insight into the alarming treatment of victims by HMRC.
Anthony Stansfeld, former Police and Crime Commissioner, who exposed the shockingly low investigation and prosecution rates in cases of financial crime.
Professor Nigel Harper, a former senior HMRC official, who, moved by the testimony, offered a personal apology—despite no longer being with HMRC.
As the Government considers expanding HMRC’s enforcement powers, the summit sent a clear and urgent warning: this may be the next major institutional failure in plain sight. Echoing the devastating themes of the Post Office Horizon scandal, speakers made it clear that without swift and decisive intervention,
many of the victims in the room would face devastating financial and psychological consequences at the hands of the very system meant to protect them.
The event concluded with a unified call for action:
immediate policy change, robust regulatory oversight, and a fair resolution mechanism for historic victims.
Acknowledgements:
Sincere thanks go to Sue Flood and Carly Barnes-Short for their extraordinary work in organising and delivering this impactful event—and for ensuring that victims’ voices were heard with both dignity and urgency.
We are equally grateful to all the speakers who generously gave their time, insight, and support.
Our heartfelt appreciation also goes to the dedicated volunteer team working behind the scenes—for their invaluable help with logistics, document design, communications, and all the moving parts that made this important day possible.