Mr Bates v The Post office ( U.K. interest )

[Rita]

I have been watching Alan Bates give evidence this morning, obviously we know more about the issues with Horizon since the TV program aired months ago, but boy I hope People in the Post office are held to account.

For those outside the U.K. The post office introduced new computers ect over 20 years into all Post Offices. The Sub post masters were held to account for any discrepancies with the balance at the end of the day. Now we know that the systems were faulty , but back then many were made to paid thousands and many were prosecuted. Some lost their incomes, jobs, homes, reputation. My Bates was one such person, but he fought back , formed a support group for all those affected and endeavoured to get justice. It all reached ahead when a tv drama was made about it all and brought it into the public domain recently. It brought outrage from everyone - government are endeavour to quash convictions but now The Post office itself is having to face the music.

@Pearl @Ritajanice - have you been watching it ?

 

[Pearl]

I have been watching Alan Bates give evidence this morning, obviously we know more about the issues with Horizon since the TV program aired months ago, but boy I hope People in the Post office are held to account.

For those outside the U.K. The post office introduced new computers ect over 20 years into all Post Offices. The Sub post masters were held to account for any discrepancies with the balance at the end of the day. Now we know that the systems were faulty , but back then many were made to paid thousands and many were prosecuted. Some lost their incomes, jobs, homes, reputation. My Bates was one such person, but he fought back , formed a support group for all those affected and endeavoured to get justice. It all reached ahead when a tv drama was made about it all and brought it into the public domain recently. It brought outrage from everyone - government are endeavour to quash convictions but now The Post office itself is having to face the music.

@Pearl @Ritajanice - have you been watching it ?

No I didn't know its possible to watch that, but i expect it will be featured on tonight's news. It just seems get worse the deeper they look into it and the PO has a lot to answer for as do the makers of the system. All those people lied to and charged, put out of their homes, losing all their money, breaming up families and giving people a bad name in their communities. And yet nobody has been held accountable, no real compensation has been given. The postmasters will never get back what has been lost. It is more than a scandal it is a crime against employees.

 

[Rita]

I didn’t know it was on, tuned in to sky news and they are covering live. I am listening to it in between painting and waiting for the paint to dry.
Yes you are right - I was listening to the those affected on BBC1 the other morning. They want the brand ‘ The Post office ‘ to change and also to see those help to account by law.
I think Fujitsu also need to be held lawfully as well because they knew that things were not as they were.
Also What happened to all the money they made from these people, people who got bonuses should be made to return them. paula Venables has to give evidence on the 22nd May, that will be an interesting interview to watch.
I think they want to see accountability - they are reading out the letters to and responses from the Post office - absolutely appalling. Thank goodness for men like Mr Bates for not just letting all this go

 

[Pearl]

The chain of accountability is long and complex, like you say Rita going back over 20 years. Every pm during that time must have been aware of something not right and the Post Office lied to all who were affected, telling them that they were the only ones with a problem with the Horizon system. And they are still doing it. heads should roll all round but none of the top elite will admit to any fault on their part. And so far those at fault - the hierarchy - have been allowed to carry on with their own lives as normal with nothing in the way of accountability sticking until the evidence has all been given and collated.