Sir Keir Starmer insists he has responded to Sir Alan Bates after the subpostmaster claimed he was ignored by the prime minister regarding compensation for Horizon victims
Sir Keir Starmer has addressed claims from Sir Alan Bates, the campaigning subpostmaster at the centre of the Post Office scandal, after Bates accused him of ignoring requests for action. Bates, 70, recently revealed he had written twice to Sir Keir a month ago, urging the Labour leader to set a March 2025 deadline for resolving compensation claims for victims of the Horizon scandal. Bates also stated that 70 claimants tragically died before receiving compensation.
After not hearing back, Bates contacted the Prime Minister again to highlight the lack of response. Sir Keir Starmer, however, has now insisted that he did indeed respond to Bates. Following an official hearing, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson confirmed that Sir Keir had communicated with Bates, clearing up the matter.
The Horizon scandal, which involved the wrongful conviction of numerous subpostmasters for financial crimes, continues to have devastating consequences for the victims, some of whom are still waiting for compensation. The call for a swift resolution has gained increasing support, with Bates and other campaigners pushing for accountability.
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Sir Alan Bates, a leading campaigner for Post Office sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal, has written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer demanding a March 2025 deadline for compensation. In his letter, Sir Alan stressed that the “clock is still ticking” and urged the government to act swiftly, following his frustration at not receiving a response to previous communications over the last month.
Speaking to Sky News, Sir Alan emphasized that, with only five months remaining until the March deadline, compensation for victims of the scandal should be expedited. He called for immediate action to ensure justice for those who have suffered due to the wrongful criminal convictions linked to the Horizon IT system.
In response, Downing Street confirmed that Sir Keir had addressed the letter, with a spokesperson noting that careful consideration had been given to the issues raised. The government has committed to speeding up the compensation process, with £438m already distributed to over 3,100 claimants as of November 2024.
THE TELEGRAPH
Sir Alan Bates, a prominent advocate for sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon IT scandal, has accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of failing to respond to two letters regarding compensation payouts. Sir Alan revealed that he has been waiting for his full payout for 13 months after submitting his initial claim.
In his statements, Sir Alan stressed the urgent need to resolve the compensation process, emphasizing that the government must finalize payouts to victims of the scandal. He expressed frustration over the lack of response from the Prime Minister, adding to concerns that progress on the issue is moving too slowly.
The Post Office scandal saw over 700 sub-postmasters wrongfully convicted due to errors in the Horizon IT system, leading to years of distress and financial hardship. Despite some compensation already being distributed, Sir Alan and other campaigners continue to push for swift and complete redress for those affected.
THE GUARDIAN
Alan Bates, the campaigner for victims of the Horizon scandal, has revealed that he has been waiting for a month for a response from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer regarding compensation delays. Speaking to the Commons business committee, Bates stated that he had written to Starmer a month ago, urging him to set a clear deadline for completing the compensation process by March 2025.
Bates, representing 555 sub-postmasters who were part of the Group Litigation Order (GLO), highlighted the prolonged suffering of the claimants, with over 70 of them having died while waiting for compensation. He expressed frustration at the lack of response from Starmer, despite sending a follow-up reminder. Bates emphasised that many of those still alive are elderly and continue to endure the consequences of the scandal.
He also discussed the potential for fresh legal action to speed up compensation payments but warned that such action could delay the current process even further. Bates concluded by urging the government to finalise the compensation scheme, insisting that the victims deserve swift and fair redress.
