The SNP has called on Sir Ed Davey to hand back his knighthood over his role in the Post Office's Horizon IT scandal.
Speaking to the Daily Record, MP Amy Callaghan said the Lib Dem leader should "follow in the footsteps of Paula Vennells and hand back his honour immediately."
Sir Ed served as postal affairs minister in the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government between 2010 and 2012.
READ MORE: Horizon scandal: Constance requests meeting with UK minister
Jo Hamilton - whose story was featured in ITV's landmark drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office - said the Lib Dem minister was told of concerns about the faulty software and should have done his job.
“Of course Davey should have been asking more questions, he’s the minister, what does he get his ministerial salary for if he’s not asking questions. What did he think, we were just moaning? I can’t believe it.
“If you’re the minister you deal with stuff — that is the job. You have to earn your money for doing the job like the rest of us. They’re called public servants but they do anything but serve the public.
“He always calls for other people’s resignations, now it’s time for him to look in the mirror.”
Some 980 people had been convicted following a fault in the Fujitsu-made IT system.
Earlier this week, Sir Ed said he had challenged the Post Office while in government but had been lied to.
“We were reassured time and again that the Horizon system was working. We were told there weren’t that many postmasters affected. We were just told so many lies,” he said.
Speaking to the Daily Record, SNP MP Amy Callaghan said: “It would be entirely inappropriate for Ed Davey to retain his knighthood given the questions surrounding his role in this appalling miscarriage of justice and subsequent cover-up.
“He should follow in the footsteps of Paula Vennells and hand back his honour immediately.
“Countless lives were destroyed by this scandal, and many more are still dealing with the consequences of wrongful convictions and having to hand over money they didn’t have after being wrongfully accused of stealing.”
Ms Callaghan said the scandal was not the fault of any single party, but the “entire Westminster system” had been complicit and those involved should “take responsibility for their actions and work to resolve the issue.
READ MORE: Andrew Ker: Edinburgh Chief Exec to stand down
Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Alex Cole-Hamilton said Sir Ed was being targetted because of growing support for his party in Tory seats south of the border.
Asked if he should quit, the Scottish Lib Dem leader replied: “No, I don’t think he should.”
“(Mr Bates) said on Channel 4 News, he was asked about Ed Davey’s position and he said it was wrong to criticise Ed Davey because he was given a bum steer by officials.”
Mr Cole-Hamilton added: “You have to ask why is Ed being attacked? Well, he’s being attacked by the Tories because they’re worried about the advances he’s making in the blue wall.”
He was alluding to the “historic” by-election wins in recent years in four Westminster constituencies.
He added: “I rest on the judgment of Alan Bates, who said on Channel 4 News on Monday this week that Ed Davey was given a bum steer.
“It’s wrong to single him out for blaming.
“Yes, there’s a lot of blame to be apportioned here, but this is about the massive industrial deception within the Post Office itself and I will keep resting on that judgment.”
READ MORE: FM gives backing to 'mass exoneration' for victims of Horizon scandal
Meanwhile, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said it had been made aware of issues with Horizon in 2013.
But a spokesperson for the prosecutors said the Post Office claimed the system would have no impact on legal cases.
Asked if the Crown Office chose not to look again at the convictions in Scotland relating to Horizon because of assurances from the Post Office and if it felt it had been misled, the service said on Wednesday that it could not provide a response.
The ongoing public inquiry into the scandal and appeals against convictions may hamper what the COPFS can make public.
The spokesperson said: “Retained records demonstrate that COPFS were first made aware of potential problems with the Horizon computer system in May 2013.
“However, we were told by the Post Office at that time that these potential problems did not impact on any of our cases.”
The COPFS also said it estimates up to 100 people were convicted in Scotland as a result of Horizon.
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