Mr Bates vs the Post Office

I finally caught up with the "true story" film last night. The drama obviously followed the outrage closely. What I didn't realise, and found absolutely staggering, was how few of those convicted have had their convictions quashed so far and how little financial compensation they have received so far. 

Hopefully the big talk coming out of government circles since the broadcasts will bring results and not just be more hot air.

As a slight aside, there was an interesting article in the Telegraph yesterday about Adam Crozier who was the head of Royal Mail at the time, so in theory even higher up the hierarchy than Paula Venelles. Not mentioned once during the drama .... but he did go on to become chief executive of ... er ... ITV!  

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/01/05/time-adam-crozier-accounted-for-role-post-office-scandal/

Not watched Mr Bates yer. But have been listening to the radio 4 investigations over the past few years. Should be available on BBC sounds. I'll try for a link.

A wholly disgusting state of affairs.... 😡

The Great Post Office Trail, unable to link it here. First broadcasts 2020.

This evening I learnt that those convicted are required to prove their innocence.  I fully understand the legal reasoning but in such unique circumstances I feel that unique exception should be made.

For that to happen wouldn't the Post Office have to admit they got it wrong in all cases? Perhaps the Official Inquiry will pave the way for that to happen? The people that had their convictions removed were part of a very expensive Group Action against the Post Office. I imagine its unlikely, given the cost, that the remaining sub post masters would be prepared or able to raise the money to bring another case? 

David

What a force of good this TV series is proving to be! But a formidable task remains.
Lest we forget though the sole owner of the Post Office is and always has been the Government , they for the whole duration of this sordid episode in history, have been self appointed Judge, Jury and ‘executioners’ to the wronged.  What’s more they have covered up the truth, manipulated the truth and lied.

I now read that the powers that be have recently, in the last few months, reduced the  money set aside for correcting and compensating the atrocious wrongs metered out by half. They are still at it!

The unfortunate thing is that the cost of this travesty will be borne by us, the Tax Payers. Heads should roll for this alone but let’s not forget the human cost, the lives ruined or lost and those still petrified to come forward solely because they have been so atrociously bullied by those we all should be trusting of.

The petition reached one million signatures last night and is still growing! Well done all but the wrongs are still to be righted in full.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67784706

It looks like the petition may achieve something.

Yesterday we were assured that things were happening but still those games are being played. We were told by the PM it’s all history as it happened  long ago in the 1990s.

The  fact is that Horizon only rolled out in 1999.  The deceit and consequences of those failures we hear of only came out in the 2000s when the coverups, control and coercion started leaking out about the alleged theft, fraud and false accounting.

THe PM also announced yesterday that a 600k interim payment is being made.It’s not interim, it’s a final payment with all those caveats in place to protect those individuals and bodies which have caused the problem in the first place.

Are we being continually mislead or does the PM really not have a grip on the situation or have an understanding of the situation.

It’s shocking that it’s taken the TV programs and a petition to bring the issue to this level of prominence. We need to hope that the momentum can be maintained to keep the pressure on Govt.

Ministers are holding a meeting to discuss the matter this afternoon. We're told it’s been brought forward, implying they’d already planned to meet🙄.

Well done ITV. I hope they win every award possible for this.

Yes, I hope so as well. There is just so much injustice, unfairness, borderline criminality, immorality out there at the moment.

Times past, the “little people” would have revolted, and been brutally dished out by those wielding power. Powerful media document-dramas, and documentaries help bring such injustices to a much wider audience nowadays, and then hopefully word is spread carefully and as honestly as possible by good social media, to try and get things done. 

 Deeply ironic, in view of the fact that it’s an ITV broadcasted programme that has lifted the plight and profile of the postal workers. Current head of ITV is Adam Crozier. He was CEO of Royal Mail when the prosecutions started back in the early 2000’s. as I said earlier, it’s a cliquey little World is that of CEO’s, sort of musical chairs for the connected.