Alan Bates considering going BACK to court as suffering subpostmasters STILL NOT getting their money

Sir Alan Bates has told MPs that the Prime Minister has not yet responded to his requests for help with settling redress claims for those affected by the Horizon scandal.
The lead campaigner and former subpostmaster told the Business and Trade Committee’s short inquiry into securing “fast and fair redress” on Tuesday that he wrote to Sir Keir Starmer around a month ago requesting assistance.
He told MPs 70 of the GLO scheme claimants have died while compensation is being sorted out, with others now “well into their 80s… that are still suffering”.
Questioned on whether he would consider going “back to court with a crowdfunded campaign for justice”, Sir Alan said: “I would never say never. It is a consideration.
“I will not say I haven’t spoken to people about this, but I do know if we decide to go down that route, that we’re going to halt the current scheme, and it’s going to be at least another six, 12, or even 24 months before it moves forward in that direction.
“Now that might be a choice people are prepared to take.
www.theScottish...
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#alanBates #postoffice #horizon #sirAlanBates

[@mleggieri801]

This is a prime example of Politicians from all sides not giving two figs to what happens to the everyday people! They only care about themselves! Disgraceful!!!

[@wordwordful]

Disgusting. Morally bankrupt people

[@wordwordful]

Young ones asking questions. The older man is literally shaking.

[@joansorensen-young2962]

Same in all commonwealth countries and USA

[@JelMain]

Personally, I don't believe any justice in the real sense of the word will ever result.

[@joezanella8949]

I bet all the lawyers don't have to wait to be paid.

[@suminshizzles6951]

They do. They dont get paid till the payouts appear.

[@mm3nrx]

@@suminshizzles6951 technically thats untrue.

[@macbitz]

@@suminshizzles6951 "In cases of compensation for unfair treatment under English law, it is fairly common for lawyers to receive interim payments of their legal fees prior to any final settlement being reached. This helps ensure the relevant legal teams can continue working on the case, even if the final outcome and compensation amount has not yet been determined.". So yes, lawyers *do* get paid before payouts appear.

[@suminshizzles6951]

@@mm3nrx Are you a solicitor?

[@rogermoore5761]

I was thinking the same joezanell8949.

[@David-zo7fb]

POST OFFICE stop the BS pay these PM's and stop there suffering

[@kerrwells]

their

[@margaretflounders8510]

@@kerrwells They're, there ..don't fret...

[@kurtgodel5236]

@@margaretflounders8510 their

[@allisonstandley2573]

The ridiculous cost of the accountants and lawyers surely outweighs any compensation.

[@ianlister6554]

And this is all public money. Just think about how much could have been saved from the public purse if only Vennels, Van Den Bogard and all the other incompetents had simply done their jobs fir which they were extremely well paid.

[@gearoftones8585]

​@@ianlister6554yeah and those responsible for wasting this public money haven't lost a penny themselves and have faced no consequences. That's the British way.

[@stellamariayates3776]

Just to give credit to Shoesmiths law practice who have provided pro bono support to postmasters as part of their corporate responsibility.

[@bobbycaldwell4132]

Dear Post office This will not go away so get these poor postmasters paid and let the justice system jail the corrupt bosses

[@michaeljohnston-ul1vi]

Do not forget the mental anguish these people went through,and are still suffering,due to the incompetance of the Post Office

[@Ramblingpete]

No chance of that what’s so ever 👎🏾

[@Ramblingpete]

They never kept Ukraine waiting for the cash and that was billions just saying

[@Ramblingpete]

Don’t talk about fairness just give them double what they ask for don’t forget they did nothing wrong but the post office did big time

[@junemargaretsmith2805]

Agreed it's time the incompetent leaders of the Post OFFICE were sent to jail and the Postmasters paid compensation! What I would like to ask is where did all the money go that they forced the Postmasters to pay? Wouldn't it have been possible to pay them back at least their own money?

[@timbrookes3699]

In fact as Ian Heslop said ages ago, to recommence these Sub Postmasters and Mistressess should each be given £1 million Tax Free, IMMEDIATELY. Which would be a tiny %age of the amount that the post office management has spent to try and block this action. Absolutely Appalling. I like everyone else following this saga, when the SPMs won the court case and with the publicity from the TV drama expected all these people to have been paid out and be able to get on with their lives, but apparently NOT!!!

[@supergran1000]

I completely agree. Just give it to them. Cut out the administration, the lawyers and accountants. It will still be a bargain.

[@pradolover]

1000%

[@MultiMeg101]

It's totally wrong if this gentleman has to go back to court after everything

[@Liverpoolboy01]

Post office have been running rings around the enquiry and now this! They don’t give a duck!

[@timbrookes3699]

The chairman of this committee really seems on the ball. Maybe, finally these wronged people should be paid their due and the people running the Post office should be in JAIL!!!

[@martinattwell3166]

I would put no money on the sub-postmasters being paid and those guilty of this miscarriage being held to account. It would appear that the lawyers have found a golden cow that they are milking to the maximum and are not going to allow this to just stop. I have seen how dishonest the lawyers and everyone else involved in this from the postmaster's side has been and they will worm their way out of taking any responsibility by blaming everyone else and hiding the evidence. Even as a lay person I could see straight through the testimony given by the various role players and do believe that many of the witnesses could be convicted for perjury to the commission based on the actual evidence that was presented. How many of those "lawyers" have not been struck off the roll for misconduct is unfathomable when they deliberately subverted the course of justice and called for the destruction and hiding of evidence.

[@jeanwood6392]

Had it been the boot on the other foot the Directors Etc Etc would have been paid the next day !!!

[@RogerRocks]

Funny isn't it, how SPM's had to balance every Wednesday - a deadline. Yet the Post Office can't get its own stuff done to a deadline.

[@MrGavinBoyd]

How many of those responsible will face a CRIMINAL trial and PRISON?

[@bobbycaldwell4132]

Would like to think all of them , but the old boy network will manage to cover up misdemeanours

[@beammeup8458]

How many will end up in the House of Frauds ?

[@beammeup8458]

​@@bobbycaldwell4132ANOTHER BRITISH VALUE ! We can't allow that to happen !

[@DavoInMelbourne]

None. The British establishment is rotten to the core.

[@kenmackenzie7338]

If the person dies during all of this then it should be passed on to their survivors/family because they were effected in all of this too.

[@Milkydrummer]

Affected

[@margaretflounders8510]

@@Milkydrummer Here's a hair for you to split..

[@Sdubb666]

Heartbreaking!!!

[@flangepipe1]

All those imprisoned should be released now.

[@BoadiceanRevenge]

The DBT needs to get it's seriously dirty finger out of its disgustingly dirty arse and give the victims their compensation! NOW!!!!! 😡🙏⚖️🙏

[@martinsigley3957]

Who pays the lawyers? After all, the Post Office is owned by the taxpayers. Guess!

[@WILLIAM-y8t]

British Justice needs to served against the people responsible in the Post Office

[@butlerpa100]

Money is poor compensation for the poor people involved

[@lesleywalters4516]

Surely a calculation of the actual loss (home, business, money paid to "make good) plus a % for compensation is a simple calculation to use! The PO stole from postmasters and this should be returned with interest.

[@TonyFisher-lo8hh]

With current delays the amount of interest will far exceed the original claims.

[@Greg-f8m]

Shame on everyone connected with the post office and government departments using long winded processes to slow down paying out what is truly due and not lawyers and civil servants who have been instructed to dream up a scheme that never pays

[@edwardhammond5582]

Would anything less than senior Post Office managers in jail, losing pensions, associated bonuses etc be enough? The fact that no deadline for these claims to be settled is just disgraceful, unless its by design.

[@RogerRocks]

Working out the final compensation payment should be easy. The SPM's come up with a figure. The Post Office come up with a figure. Take the higher of the two, and triple it. Done.

[@BoadiceanRevenge]

👍👍👍excellent! Well said! 🙏⚖️🙏

[@energybrown]

Hard to believe after all that's happened these guys are still being messed around! 😯

[@MrAnonmyous]

It’s pantomime, diberate delays

[@paulclairethomas1344]

It's a typical ploy ...delay and hope it gets forgotten..

[@PaulaHicks-hb5sr]

My heart goes out to all these victims of the Post Office scandal....there are so many people with blood on their hands. I hope everyone is properly compensated and given a public apology.

[@wordwordful]

Why are they going through this trauma again. Pay up.

[@notquiteoverthehill9576]

Bet they would drop £ claims if they could get PO & Civil Servants / Politicians into court & held legally accountable. Sadly that will never happen all too much corruption & self interest.

[@mikruss1055]

Start adding interest on the claim, once these bean counters see that delaying paying up incurs, even more cost , they will wake up and deal with it rather than kicking the can down the road.

[@p0ssiblypossiblynot557]

Two retired judges, and the party involved (with representation) sit in a room and resolve the claim there and then unless there are major complications. Four hours max to resolve. Easy

[@stevebaker3064]

I believe that if the Post Office settled ALL claims in FULL without delay, thus ending this disgraceful 20-year saga, it would cost them (and ultimately the Taxpayer) a great deal less than paying the unbelievable legal costs associated with disputing every claim. STOP STALLING and PAY UP ... let's have an end to these poor PMs' living nightmare

[@finsbury8919]

Mr Bates has content for at least two more episodes of this debacle!

[@topgazza]

This delay is unconscionable. The Gov should step in and pay out in full then claim the money back from the PostOffice

[@johnallright6847]

What goverment.

[@avacadman2155]

Dragging it out hoping that some die before any settlement is reached? These people were all honest people that were vilified, judged as criminals, their names Blackened! Why is it taking so long to do the right thing and compensate these good people? Stop nit picking to avoid doing the right thing! Pay up for the damages caused to these good, honest people!!

[@vickydimitriou6156]

Because they don’t want to pay them at all. Disgusting.

[@rmartin6307]

Actions speak louder than words🤮

[@The_Penguin_Overlord]

how do you compensate the dead?

[@robo6548]

in biblical times, it was an eye for an eye

[@foruever]

Surely it must be part of their estate and go to their heirs.

[@barbaraaimson2100]

The goverment needs your £ to support other things, none of which help this country.

[@notquiteoverthehill9576]

Can we see the accounts cost v compensation.

[@harrylyme2913]

Why not appoint Alan Bates to the Board of the Post Office. The crooks are running the compensation scheme that's what's wrong. Sack and jail the crooks.

[@brightspark4817]

so much for the new labour leader a bloody disgrace

[@vtechead1]

Just write the cheques out and be done with it.

[@ChoppingtonOtter]

At every turn it gets worse and worse.

[@daverushton5966]

Bet The Lawyers have raked it in .Pay These People Now .A disgrace .Spending Billions on illegals yet cannot pay these cruelly treated People..

[@VeronicaKingsley-u4m]

Our current Legal system failed justice. The people within it -seemed only concerned with taking fees for themselves. Any other profession would have been sacked, and charged for this clear failure of duty. Surely time for reform.

[@tomricketts7821]

The amount of detail being asked for is a deliberate ploy to run down the clock on the older claimants and encourage others to give up

[@richardallen503]

Lawyers in no rush , creaming it !

[@peterclemmet]

Disgusting behavior by the government

[@davepfizer]

Why is it that they just can't get on with it? All those bloody lawyers coining it in no doubt to stretch this out as long as possible. Every one of those people should start with a payment of £5,000,000 and then they can start discussing what else is due.

[@RogerRocks]

Starmer is establishment though and through.

[@FINEFELINE333]

They are hoping that claimants will pass away before they can receive compensation.

[@johntaylor5968]

Lawyers,accountants, bureaucrats all getting well paid and loving this fiasco, post masters still awaiting settlement - pathetic system.

[@jonmiddleton9771]

Infected Blood victims the same, Feet dragging

[@Rich.H68]

And they wonder why we hate politicians of all parties.

[@beezser]

get another TV documentary on the way they are deliberately stalling the compensation for subpostmasters . and get our so called Prime Minister to do something , the whole country just want justice for the subpostmasters , and that Paula Vennells in jail

[@paulrossbotham4359]

TOTALLY AGREE

[@MarjorieStoker-oj8fh]

Why is the unfinished point been is what blame blame blame for corruption

[@Liverpoolboy01]

Starmer not replying to the postmaster!!

[@Mac398td]

The most represented profession in parliament is the legal profession. Think of who will be making the most out of this business. I say no more.

[@MrAnonmyous]

Alan Bates should knighted by king ……he’s stood up for most

[@purpleowl2075]

He has a knighthood already

[@dellamUK]

corruption is super glued to the system and cant be unstuck

[@Ramblingpete]

This is a no no brainer just give a million to each person job done it will never be fair

[@makeitwork3929]

No arrests still? How surprising! not

[@ismith9959]

It's about time that those in positions in both the MAIL (should nolonger be referred to as ROYAL as they are totally untrustworthy) are taken to task by sacking, fine the Mail PLC a Multimillion pound fine, eash month they delay. Mail PLC and those in key decision-making posts and the IT companies need to be sent to jail. Mail PLC need to be closed

[@Thomas-g5t2k]

Wriggle wriggle wriggle

[@patriciaclark6171]

Utter disgrace 😢

[@therealbennett]

All the people getting paid to work within this scheme never want it to end, its the cash cow that keeps on giving, end this now.

[@WILLIAM-y8t]

Why is this taking so long to get Justice for these poor people who have been to Hell and back!!!!

[@peterpower6397]

Everyone sat here on their rear ends Today are raking in wages as Alan speaks

[@GeorgeClemens-ov9ug]

Name and shame them!

[@gearoftones8585]

Funny. If you owe the government money, they will pursue you relentlessly. If you're owed money, they'll drag their heels and go at a snails pace.

[@annamarielewis7078]

What a gorgeous presentation. Lovely delivery.👍💪👏🫶

[@tonybreward8678]

Ordinary working people pay for everything due to extortionate taxation, And there ends our usefulness and we must realise this doesn’t entitle us to any rights or considerations. In fact we are despised for it and stamped down at every opportunity.

[@barrywilliams670]

That committee just asked questions and asked how should the issue proceed . I didn't hear any of that committee offer to help or propose a plan to push forward the payments. What was the point of it ?

[@chipmarley]

They should prosecute Blair. He knew the system was buggered but just stuck with the post office. He is responsible for all these deaths and health and wealth problems.

[@Chanesmyname]

It is like they are purposefully making the misery harder and crueller, they are still monsters!

[@Maxinebb64]

Starmer is very selective who he will and won’t speak to ……

[@beammeup8458]

What is committee waiting for ? The hobnobs with their tea ? Committees like Public inquiries are notoriously inefficient at achieving anything ... Beats doing a proper job, i guess the money keeps rolling in ..... now where is the tea ?

[@kennethsimmons2029]

Feel you pain Alan - expelled by CWU and refused legal aid on four independent applications. Just when you need a lawyer Vs 5 post office instructed barristers. On the plus side Mrs Straw and Alan Johnson career paths blossomed.

[@bobbycaldwell4132]

Sue them for everything and watch the dynamic change

[@geoffwright9570]

This enquiry should be done and dusted. And compensation paid . Not by the tax payers but by all the institutions involved with the horizon systems followed by court cases of the suspected guilty managers.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

No more talk, just force the Post Office to pay up.

[@kathrynhobbs8874]

The problem is, two situations are being subsumed into one. These post masters and mistresses are due they money that they had to ‘Put in ‘ to cover the ‘losses’. This was and is their money, bullied out of them since it has now been shown to have a computer error not an actual loss. The second is compensation due to them for the worry, stress, loss of status, shame, visited upon them buy the now show to be false accusations. To the post office financial advantage the two situations are being lumped together.

[@listener-md]

Sue them,

[@razzo8525]

It sounds as if the lawyers and the accountants are making plenty of money out of this , its sick that they are getting away with pontificating endlessly., Razzo

[@donaldeaston9564]

Who are these kids asking stupid questions. Are these people MP’s? They are like Students.

[@johnallright6847]

The longer it goes on i would let them know that the more i want because of their constant unfairness.

[@stellamariayates3776]

It seems the longer they drag this out more claimants will be deceased and reduce the compensation and repayments due.

[@hfohfohfo]

Disgraceful, adding insult to injury.

[@geraldadams360]

Was that Liam Burn in the chair , if it was don’t expect money to paid out. Remember is famous statement all the money has gone.

[@dazgreen63]

There will never be ANY justice until two things are done. First is the people from Fujutsu who are OBVIOUSLY responsible for much of the theft, are brought to book. Why this is ignored I am at a loss to figure out? Secondly ALL the senior people who KNEW that the software was capable of being 'hacked' in to ( I use that word well aware that it didnt take much actual hacking) Those people are all brought to book and hopefully sent to jail.

[@crystalnoble1337]

They'd rather pay more for the lawyers than compensate the sub-postmasters with their own money, with extra for their suffering. It's absolutely disgraceful.

[@aprilfox1057]

Another enquiry, another enquiry. The Postmasters experience has not changed. Yet all these inquiries has not achieved anything, but simply drags up the traumatic memories of the abuse by the government owned Post Office. It’s corruption and criminal behaviour displayed by POL lawyers, investigators, accountants, senior management and Fujitsu.

[@MargaretDeakin-d6m]

Jarndyce v Jarndyce. Only the lawyers profit. This is not a humane process.

[@davidkidd3975]

Corruption at the top of Government

[@therealbennett]

They hold all the data and all the cards, this needs resolving quickly, shameful.

[@christinelivesey9077]

Why is someone holding a small dog during such a hearing?

[@kenstanfield4566]

This chairman was in the treasure when the torys took over, he left a note to say there was no money left, so why is he doing this post?

[@David-g7k9e]

Corporate Manslaughter !

[@SueGittins]

Who is paying for this hearing? How much does it cost?

[@custossecretus5737]

Disgusting, it’s them and us, two tier everything.

[@tonychorley4936]

Maybe if you have to go back to court you could try crowd funding rather than using expensive bankers.