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In the [[2019 New Year Honours]], Vennells was appointed [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) "for services to the Post Office and to charity"<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=62507 |date=29 December 2018 |page=N9 |supp=y}}</ref>
In 2021, after the successful appeals by subpostmasters prosecuted and convicted in the Post Office scandal, the [[Communication Workers Union (United Kingdom)|Communication Workers Union]] called for Vennells to be stripped of her CBE.<ref>{{cite news |date=23 April 2021 |title=Ex-Post Office chief should be stripped of CBE over Horizon scandal, union says |url=https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/uk-news/2021/04/23/ex-post-office-chief-should-be-stripped-of-cbe-over-horizon-scandal-union-says/ |access-date=24 April 2021 |work=[[Jersey Evening Post]]}}</ref> In the same year, an online petition was created on the website [[38 Degrees]] requesting that the [[Honours Forfeiture Committee]] revoke Vennells's CBE; in January 2024, following the broadcast of ''Mr Bates vs The Post Office'', it attracted significant attention and by
On 8 January 2024, Prime Minister [[Rishi Sunak]]'s spokesman said he would "strongly support" the Honours Forfeiture Committee if it decided to look at revoking Vennells's CBE appointment.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crerar |first=Pippa |date=2024-01-08 |title=Post Office scandal: Sunak would 'strongly support' review of ex-boss's CBE |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/08/post-office-scandal-sunak-strongly-support-review-paula-vennells-cbe |access-date=2024-01-16 |work=[[The Guardian]] |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> On 9 January, Vennells stated that she would return her CBE "with immediate effect".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stacey|first=Kiran |date=9 January 2024 |title=Former Post Office chief hands back CBE as Horizon scandal intensifies |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/09/former-post-office-boss-paula-vennells-to-return-cbe-amid-horizon-scandal |access-date=18 January 2024 |work=The Guardian|quote=I am, however, aware of the calls from sub-postmasters and others to return my CBE. I have listened and I confirm that I return my CBE with immediate effect.}}</ref> The honour was formally revoked by [[Charles III|King Charles III]] on 23 February for "bringing the honours system into disrepute".<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=64326 |date=26 February 2024 |page=3758}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=List of individuals who have forfeited their honour (since August 2023) |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/individuals-whose-honours-have-been-revoked-by-the-sovereign/list-of-individuals-who-have-forfeited-their-honour-since-august-2023 |access-date=23 Feb 2024 |website=www.gov.uk}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |agency=PA Media |date=2024-02-23 |title=King strips CBE from former Post Office boss Paula Vennells |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/23/king-strips-cbe-from-former-post-office-boss-paula-vennells |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
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