KEMI BADENOCH has hit out at former Post Office chairman Henry Staunton after he alleged a senior civil servant told him to “stall” compensation for victims of the horizon Post Office scandal ahead of the next general election.

Mr Staunton, who was sacked by the Business Secretary last month, used an interview with the Sunday Times to suggest the alleged request was linked to concerns about the cost of compensating affected sub-postmasters as the polls loomed.

His claims prompted an immediate and strongly worded denial from the government, with Ms Badenoch also using social media to accuse the former chairman of “disgraceful misrepresentation” about the reasons he was ousted.

Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Under no circumstances should compensation to victims be delayed and to do so for party political purposes would be a further insult to sub-postmasters.”

Ms Badenoch is expected to make a Commons statement about the matter tomorrow.

A government spokesperson said: “We utterly refute these allegations.”