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

[@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

[@buildmotosykletist1987]

Rubbish, who exposed this scandal ? A politician, an older white male politician.

[@sagayagambrun5149]

@@joansorensen-young2962 British Justice to the Core!

[@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.

[@raymondporter2094]

​@stellamariayates3776: In a properly run legal system, there would be no need for "pro bono" work. Some years ago, for example, people who couldn't afford legal costs could get legal aid - for example in a divorce case or in a personal injuries claim. Legal aid for those cases no longer exists in England & Wales. All that was needed (since lawyers can quickly identify a high percentage of successful PI claims) is as follows: If you succeeded and were awarded or settled a claim for £75K, 10% (maybe only 5% would be enough) could have been deducted to go back into the legal aid fund to pay for all the unsuccessful claims (only a small proportion). That way legal aid would pay for itself at no cost to Govt/taxation, and people who otherwise would NOT be compensated would be able to afford to pursue their claim if it had a reasonable prospect of success. Lawyers who do legal aid work in the categories where it is still available, have to wait AGES to get paid for their work. And perhaps I could give an example from one section: solicitors' legal aid hourly rates for child protection work (eg when local authorities bring care proceedings to protect children where they believe there has been some kind of child abuse). I would suggest that is some of the most important work that comes before the courts. I think those hourly rates last increased in England & Wales in 1997. YES - 27 YEARS AGO! I imagine their secretaries would like to receive 2024 wages not 1997 wages, and the costs of rent/heating/other utilities from 1997 bear no relation to the amounts that have to be paid now. No doubt corporate and commercial work carried out by City firms will be rather different....

[@raymondporter2094]

...so who do you think, coming out of university or law school owing £60K student debt, is going to want to move into the field of child protection work? The most highly qualified or only a saintly minority? Or those who can't get jobs in the more lucrative fields of the law? Imagine if Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Messi etc, instead of going to the big clubs paying hundreds of thousands a WEEK, decided to play for their boyhood lower league clubs. It's about as likely as that...

[@JelMain]

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

[@buildmotosykletist1987]

Justice is blind for a very good reason. Please read why that is so.

[@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%

[@robsengahay5614]

It probably would have been cheaper. Lawyers and accountants will wind up receiving more taxpayer money than the sub postmasters by the end of this fiasco.

[@joansorensen-young2962]

@@supergran1000 maybe there is a means to clawback remuneration from actual people who caused this outrage?

[@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]

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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@jeanwood6392]

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

[@Sdubb666]

Heartbreaking!!!

[@katewells7670]

Oh more sense it is indeed heart breaking and would never have come to light without Sir Alan Bates

[@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.

[@Sujowi]

Ironic indeed!

[@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..

[@katewells7670]

Well ken when the money is finally paid it will belong to the family and will be part of their estate and they should make a Will and distribute their money as they see fit

[@butlerpa100]

Money is poor compensation for the poor people involved

[@BoadiceanRevenge]

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

[@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

[@martinsigley3957]

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

[@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! 🙏⚖️🙏

[@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.

[@WILLIAM-y8t]

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

[@MrAnonmyous]

It’s pantomime, diberate delays

[@paulclairethomas1344]

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

[@finsbury8919]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@energybrown]

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

[@flangepipe1]

All those imprisoned should be released now.

[@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.

[@brendahamblin4559]

Sir Alan Bates, A magnificent man.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@wordwordful]

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

[@notquiteoverthehill9576]

Can we see the accounts cost v compensation.

[@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.

[@vtechead1]

Just write the cheques out and be done with it.

[@Thomas-g5t2k]

Wriggle wriggle wriggle

[@lordsirob8640]

I'd like to know what is happening to the Lee Castleton case. If you remember from the DVD/ITV series, (I'm assuming it to be accurate) Lee defended his prosecution. But lost. He was ordered to pay costs of circa £800,000 which left him bankrupt. Even if as a result of the Horizon IT Inquiry, he is awarded £1,000,000; that would still not be enough to compensate him. I believe that ALL SPMs in the GLO should be awarded £500,000 EACH for pain, suffering, etc, and their fines, court costs and whatever they have had to pay over to POL/RMG etc, should be borne by Fujitsu, HMG, POL and RMG relative to their misdemeanours, etc. AND PRETTY DARN QUICK!!!!

[@barbaraaimson2100]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@Hammerman837]

Needs sorting at Kings bench

[@kevinclarke9955]

I am hurting inside with these horrendous stories. Also i am thinking, every time a PM covered the Horizon short fall from their own pocket. They paid tax on those shortfall covers, as it would be classed as part of their income. In fact they have paid tax twice on those amounts. Surely the HMRC should have to address this issue and pay back these taxes, which were paid on amounts that didn’t in fact exist.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@jonmiddleton9771]

Infected Blood victims the same, Feet dragging

[@22Phantasm]

The PO is probably close to bankrupsy and they won't admit this. They've paid out so many bonuses to their undeserving bigwig staff and so much in legal fees, even though as we all know they've been in dire straits for decades. As usual, the normal working class staff get shafted while the bigwigs walk away rich, with impunity.

[@davidkidd3975]

How much has this inquiry cost and does the inquiry money come from the post office or tax payers

[@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.

[@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

[@peterpower6397]

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

[@FINEFELINE333]

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

[@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.

[@Liverpoolboy01]

Starmer not replying to the postmaster!!

[@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 ?

[@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.

[@richardallen503]

Lawyers in no rush , creaming it !

[@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 ?

[@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.

[@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.

[@stellamariayates3776]

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

[@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.

[@Sujowi]

Just think how the PO would have got away with this rubbish if there hadn’t been an intelligent, caring and persistent …and fair….Alan Bates. He should be paid double what he asked for. it’s gone beyond any definition of fairness now - the PO and Fujitsu need to be punished and a financial hit is what they will learn from. And he’s still appearing at hearings….if he charged his time at lawyers rates it would sting!

[@michaeljohnston-ul1vi]

So what can thepeople who commited suicide do ?

[@michaeljohnston-ul1vi]

Post Office managers guilty of manslaughter

[@davidgidman7561]

If this was lower down in the pecking order of society the PO hierarchy would have been in jail while all this was going on!

[@RogerRocks]

Starmer is establishment though and through.

[@tonychorley4936]

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

[@johntaylor5968]

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

[@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.

[@MrAnonmyous]

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

[@purpleowl2075]

He has a knighthood already

[@Ramblingpete]

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

[@chris-vn6sw]

No good asking Comrade Starmer.. Waste of space !

[@listener-md]

Sue them,

[@MarjorieStoker-oj8fh]

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

[@youtuberuk9695]

Surely, as a starting point, the amount of money sub postmasters had to pay out due to discrepancies in the post office accounts could be repaid IMMEDIATELY as this amount is a matter of record, so no arguments to be made there..... Secondly, any expenses incurred by sub postmasters because of trials or change of circumstances due to paying out the money could be repaid IMMEDIATELY and receipts could be made available as proof... So no arguments there either.... Adjustment could be made to recognise inflation/value/interest between 1990's and now.... Lastly, compensation for personal loss of quality of life.... (Realistically there is no amount that could make up for this IMHO....) But this is the only subjective area where negotiations would be required.... To my mind there is NO reason for sub postmasters to be waiting for payment of ALL three areas of compensation when two are unarguably valid and on record....

[@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

[@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.

[@alantheinquirer7658]

Losing a game? Move the goalposts!

[@patriciaclark6171]

Utter disgrace 😢

[@makeitwork3929]

No arrests still? How surprising! not

[@danielh4032]

It seems extremely odd that the post office as the guilty party is the one which is determining the amount of compensation; it’s like you’ve been knocked down by a car and then the driver of the car decide how much he owes you. The whole thing should be taken out of the hands of the post office given to an independent tribunal who were told sorted out in six months.

[@ChoppingtonOtter]

At every turn it gets worse and worse.

[@Rich.H68]

And they wonder why we hate politicians of all parties.

[@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..

[@TheStevenWhiting]

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

[@Maxinebb64]

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

[@maninarucksack8983]

The initial argument should be, why the hell is the Post Office who were the perpetrators of this injustice, being allowed to managed and adjudicate the compensation scheme?! It is bnkers and I would like know Parliament has not picked up on this?

[@kevinshanahan6064]

The man in the second row holding the dog, has the dog to calm him, as a direct result of the stress of his Horizon experience.

[@donaldeaston9564]

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

[@WILLIAM-y8t]

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

[@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.

[@MargaretDeakin-d6m]

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

[@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.

[@MarkFitzgerald2014]

They should take it back to court. The government do not care, it shows they will not reply to Allan. This is typical of them taking their time hoping the respondents all end up unable to take the payments. Justice is not the same in this country anymore, just like to type of politicians we have now are far inferior than 20 years ago plus. The governemnt in the UK will always deny, deny and find a way to not to pay.

[@SueGittins]

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

[@Mynsinger]

Is that "Dewi Lewis and the News"?

[@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?