Like many, I have viewed the new ITV series “Mr Bates vs The Post Office”. A short mini series comprising of four episodes available to watch on ITVX.
While I was aware of a Post Office Horizon computer scandal, I was not aware of the scale of the issue. Sub postmasters being falsely accused of theft while the Post Office was incompetent in handling the issues it faced and unable to deal with the situation effectively. What did the Post Office actually know?
While the story has featured in the press over the years, this dramatisation has fully highlighted the scale of the issue.
It is truly shocking to learn that the Post Office failed so many of their workers. The suffering that some of the postmasters have faced is unimaginable with their livelihoods taken away, convictions and even imprisonment. Many left in debt as a result of the failings.
The dramatisation focuses on Alan Bates who leads the cause and gets those affected to fight back. Alan lost his own Post Office but knew something was wrong with the Horizon system. Refusing to accept he was at fault, Alan refused to sign off balance sheets and accept any responsibility for the supposed money shortfalls. Unlike others, he did not face criminal charges but knew system failings needed to be investigated.
The story spans some 20 years and in truth has so much more to tell. Only today in the news, the then Post Office CEO Paula Vennells is handing her CBE back. In part due to this drama and the headlines that it has generated.
Hopefully this series will continue to help the cause so that the victims get full justice they deserve.
https://www.itv.com/watch/mr-bates-vs-the-post-office/10a0469/10a0469a0001
