Sir Alan Bates would dispose his knighthood to get justice for postmasters

Bates suggested delays in compensation payments to subpostmasters could be a deliberate ‘ploy’, ITV News Correspondent John Ray reports.

It was quite an honour – but one he would gladly swap for justice. Sir Alan Bates’ knighthood was recognised for his long campaign on behalf of sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted for theft and false accounting. But now he’s told ITV News he would hand it back if it meant full and fair compensation for all those still fighting for the money they are owed. "If it was a choice between the knighthood and the financial redress for all of the subpostmasters, I know which one I’d take," he said. He also suggested delays in compensation payments to subpostmasters could be a deliberate ‘ploy’ to encourage claimants to settle for lower figures. "I think we’re getting to the point now where we may need to go back to the law to solve this… I’m hearing from people now who have been in this battle for 20 years that they’re taking 60% of their [compensation] offer. "They’re in their 80s, even their children are coming up to retirement age and they just can’t go on anymore. "Is that a ploy, we’ve got to ask, is that a ploy by the government to string it out as long as possible just so people give up?" There are three separate compensation schemes; so far around £240 million has been paid out to more than 2,800 claimants.

Yet that figure is dwarfed by the estimated £400 million paid out by the Post Office in legal fees since 2017. The Post Office told us those costs reflect the "huge scale of the scandal" and its duty to support the long-running public inquiry.

Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells’ own sizable legal fees are said to be paid by the Post Office’s directors’ insurance scheme. Meanwhile, former subpostmaster Janet Skinner, who was wrongfully imprisoned for three months in 2007, despairs of the delay in agreeing to a settlement.

"I’ve had medical reports, psychiatric reports, forensic accounting reports, employment specialist reports…they’re just fighting me in every way," he said

"It makes me really, really angry that people – lawyers, legal teams, post office staff – are receiving more than the people affected by this scandal."

Former subpostmaster Lee Castleton, who was declared bankrupt after being ordered to pay £321,000 in Post Office’s legal fees in a 2006 court case, said it was “shameful” that subpostmasters are still waiting for their full compensation payments.

Castleton worked night shifts at a local factory to make ends meet, he said, "It would be nice, when I don’t have to think about the Post Office anymore, and I can just think about the Castletons."

The Post Office told ITV News: "We are truly sorry for the suffering caused to so many people by Post Office’s past actions. We recognise that victims of the scandal and their families cannot move on until full redress has been paid and both Post Office and Government are committed to doing so as quickly as possible." A spokesman for the Department of Business and Trade said: "We recognise the immeasurable suffering postmasters have endured and that they have waited too long to get their money back. That's why we are working tirelessly to bring them some relief with full, fair and swift redress."

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