Campaigner Alan Bates says Post Office introduced the Post Office Horizon inquiry on ‘trouble and injustice’ as he appeared at the inquiry – UK politics live

In his afternoon evidence at the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, campaigner Alan Bates stated it was a “classic flaw” of government that it cannot deal with issues such as the Horizon scandal “easily and sensibly”, and stated that unless it sold to someone like Amazon and received a substantial cash injection, “it will remain a thorn in the side of the government for the foreseeable years”.

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Edward Henry KCwho represents a number of post office operators, asked: “You have uncovered over decades the Post Office’s suppression of disclosure covering up the truth about Horizon’s flaws, but you have also uncovered, have you not, the Government’s reckless indifference to the Post Office’s misconduct over decades, would you agree?”

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Bates answered: “Yeah, I mediate that’s the case. Since this 300 and sixty five days, I mutter, since the [ITV] drama we’ve had some distance extra publicity regarding the matter nationally.

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“I’ve noticed there’s a long-standing frustration with many other organisations that have that command with Government as well. It appears to be a classic flaw in the system of how Government works that it can’t cope with these kinds of things easily and sensibly.”

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Bates stated he came to believe a mediation plan intended to address the Horizon IT scandal was part of a “cover-up” and a “fishing expedition” to see what evidence subpostmasters had about Horizon.

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Asked by Jason Beer KC for his thoughts on the culture of the Post Office, he told the inquiry:

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n

It’s an appalling organisation. They want disbanding. It needs eliminating. It needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. The whole of the postal service currently – it’s a pointless duck. It’s beyond saving.

n

It wants to be offered to someone like Amazon. It needs a significant injection of money, and I only believe that can happen coming from the outside. Otherwise it’s going to be a burden for the authorities for the long haul years.

n

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Former defence minister James Heappey has stated the Conservatives and Labour will need to commit to spending 3% of GDP on defence in their election manifestos.

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He told listeners to the Today programme this morning:

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n

The UK will need to step up and show some leadership within the European theatre, or even the non-US segment of Nato, and could simply commit 2.5% of GDP on defence spending at the Nato 75th anniversary summit in Washington this summer.

n

And I’d hope that every party hoping to form the government after the next general election would have a 3% commitment in their manifesto commitment to deliver within the next parliament.

n

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On 15 March, Heappey announced he was to step down as military minister, and would leave the House of Commons at the next general election

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At the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, Alan Bates has stated that he has dedicated a significant part of his life to campaigning about the scandal because of the ‘trouble and injustice’ that he saw.

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Appearing at Aldwych House in London, Bates, who was featured as a character in the ITV drama that drew significant attention to the scandal, stated:

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When I began my individual tiny campaign and we came upon others along the way, and finally all of us joined up. It has required dedication, but secondly, it’s a cause. I think it’s also stubbornness as well. However, it’s… I mean, as you got to meet other people, and realize it wasn’t just yourself. And you saw the problem, the injustice that had been inflicted upon them, it became something that you felt you had to address.

n

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inquiry”,”caption”:”Alan Bates at the Post Space of labor Horizon IT inquiry”,”credit rating”:”Photograph: Reuters”}},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”

He told the inquiry, which has been running for three years, that he had spent four times as long campaigning about Horizon as he had being a subpostmaster, even though that had been the choice of the Post Office. He believed they terminated his contract because of his frequent complaints regarding the Horizon system.

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Having used computerised sales tools in other roles, Bates stated he found the reporting features of the Horizon system limited.

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Today’s session began with lead counsel Jason Beer KC issuing a prolonged criticism of the Post Office for its repeated slow disclosure of documents to the inquiry, which he stated had been “highly disruptive”.

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Inquiry chair Wyn Williams stated he was determined to proceed the hearings on the original timetable, despite the matter of the Post Office failing to produce paperwork in a timely manner, since the alternative, an adjournment, could be worse. He stated he believed the inquiry ought not to last a day longer than necessary.

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Lead counsel for the inquiry Beer has described the Post Office’s slow disclosure of paperwork as “highly disruptive”.

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Retired high court docket settle Wyn Williamsshirewho’s chairing the inquiry, also sounds excited regarding the disclosure direction of, however says adjourning the inquiry is a worse possibility as a substitute of witnesses in most cases working ahead of the document path. He has made up our minds to proceed the inquiry on its contemporary timetable.

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He says he perhaps intended too tight a timetable for the hearings but says he is “unshakeable in his belief” that the inquiry, already three years old, ought not to last a day longer than needed

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Beer is asserting that the Post Space of labor is persevering with to explain hundreds of paperwork – presumably mostly emails – linked to the inquiry because of the continuing critiques. He has stated:

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We in the inquiry team would like to inform you and the key individuals involved in these matters at once. They raise concerns with which the inquiry has become extraordinarily and unfortunately familiar over the past three years.

n

I will also need to place these inclinations in a much broader context. Since the conclusion of the stage four hearings alone, that is, since the final submissions on 2 February 2024, the Post Office has disclosed 73,720 documents to the inquiry, of which the inquiry team has characterised 67,210 documents as potentially relating to stages five and six of the inquiry.

n

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He is scathing regarding the Post Space of labor, together with:

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n

The responsibility of disclosure to the inquiry is pointless to declare ongoing. The inquiry had anticipated and anticipated ongoing disclosure from companies of paperwork. In definite cases paperwork will even be came upon slack, exhausting copies or electronic files or messages might per chance also simply turn up in surprising devices.

n

However the concerns that the Post Locations of work disclosure to this inquiry have provided were worthy more than minor ad hoc or additional disclosure.

n

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He says there might also simply now need to be a recall of some witnesses on account of the slack disclosure of paperwork.

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He says “The different, additional extend to permit the Post Space of labor to rep its disclosure dwelling in disclose, is rarely any longer one which is suitable.”

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At 10 o’clock the next day of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal inquiry starts, and I will be following it carefully here. Alan Bates – the real-life figure featured in the ITV drama that did so much to focus attention on the scandal will take the stand at Aldwych House and give his testimony. Our First Edition newsletter currently featured Rupert Neate speaking with our colleague Jane Croft, who has been covering the scandal since 2018 about it. Here’s a snippet:

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“The impact this scandal has had on hundreds of people’s lives has been utterly devastating,” Jane says. “These are ordinary people, without money and influence who were caught up in this very David and Goliath battle.”

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In private impact statements to the inquiry the victims have spoken about losing everything. “It’s not just their money,” Jane says. “It’s their liberty, their friends, their families, their homes. Some spoke about their children being bullied at school, being shunned by their local community, and being called ‘the postmaster who stole other people’s pensions’.”

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“They want justice and for the truth to come out,” Jane says. “It feels like the Post Office knew the Horizon IT system wasn’t working properly, but they continued to prosecute these innocent people anyway.”

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In 2015 the Post Office told a House of Commons inquiry: “There is no such thing as a functionality in Horizon for either a division, Post Office or Fujitsu to edit, manipulate or delete transaction files once they have been recorded in a division’s accounts.” This turned out to be false a high court judge ruled in a landmark court case four years later.

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A recording from 2013, unearthed by Channel 4 News, reveals Susan Crichton, the Post Office’s head legal adviser, confirming that former chief executive Paula Vennells had been briefed about a “covert operations team” that could remotely access the Horizon system and alter branches’ accounts. In 2015 Vennells told the Commons Public Accounts Committee that “we don’t need any evidence” of miscarriages of justice.

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Vennells, who has handed again a CBE awarded to her for “companies and products to the Post Space of labor and to charity”, will give proof, live-streamed herefor three days from Wednesday 22 Could perhaps presumably.

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Nadhim Zahawithe former schools minister who was one of the MPs questioning Vennells in 2015, has called for a “thorough police investigation”.

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“I don’t think it’s good enough that we keep falling back on ‘let the inquiry get on with its work’ – this is much more serious,” he said. “There needs to be an investigation into corporate manslaughter and people at the Post Office.”

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Read more here: Tuesday briefing: What to expect from the next phase of the Post Office inquiry

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n

• Signal in here to rep First Version free and mutter to your inboxes

n

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Former home secretary Suella Braverman has stated that the Conservatives are heading for a definite defeat in the next election, although she appeared to rule out standing against Rishi Sunak in a leadership contest in the near term.

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Speaking on LBC, PA Media reports Braverman stated:

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n

I’m very aware, I’m very focused on what each ballot demonstrates, and it’s my job – and I sought to do this as home secretary – to speak honestly, to speak the truth, even if it may be unpleasant.

n

I owe that to the people who have sent me to parliament, and I owe that to you, and so the honest truth is that we are heading for a defeat, to put it mildly, at the general election.

n

I very much hope that we change direction and that we strengthen the offer to the British people. Ultimately, measures on tax cuts, measures on migration, measures on national security and social cohesion are insufficient under this government.

n

We need to go further; we must show the British people that we are on their side, that we are serious about stopping the boats, that we are serious about curbing unprecedented levels of illegal migration, and unfortunately we have not managed to do that.

n

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She added, ‘I am not involved in any form of leadership campaign. Rishi Sunak is our prime minister, and I fully expect him to lead us into the next general election.’

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Braverman departed as home secretary during Liz Truss’s brief term as prime minister for causing a security breach by sending classified documents from a personal email account. She was reinstated in the same role by Rishi Sunak when he formed his first cabinet, and she was sacked by him in November for writing an editorial criticising London’s police which had not been agreed upon in No 10.

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Rachel Reeves has stated Labour’s spending plans will produce a “broad incompatibility” to the lives of people, promising two million extra appointments a 300 and sixty five days within the NHS, 700,000 emergency dental appointments, free breakfast clubs in all principal colleges as wisely as investment in scanners and unique abilities in hospitals.

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Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 At the present time programme, despite cautioning that will must it invent the next authorities, Labour would face “the worst financial inheritance since the 2d world battle.”

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She stated:

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n

I’m under no illusions regarding the scale of the challenge that I would inherit if I became chancellor. Both the economic inheritance that I’ve spoken about with debt, living standards and taxes, but also the inheritance in terms of the state of public services on their knees after 14 years of Conservative government, specifically our NHS.

n

This is why the predominant focal level currently is set how we are able to lift that extra £5bn by the discontinuance of the parliament. Numbers that don’t lawful advance from me, however which advance from the National Audit Space of labor, and a speech given in January this 300 and sixty five days regarding the money that’s on the table that we’d dispute in thru cracking down on tax avoidance by wisely resourcing HMRC.

n

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Reduce Robinson recommended the figures were insignificant in contrast to the total government funds, describing them as a “rounding error” and “free money down the back of the treasury sofa”.

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Good morning. Labour has been taking forward plans to try and recoup more money from tax avoidance in an effort to show that it has the money available to fund its pledges without breaking the fiscal rules it has set for itself. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has been doing the media rounds recently, more on that in a moment. Here are your headlines today …

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• Labour plans £5bn crackdown on tax avoiders to close gap in spending plans.

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• William Wragg resigns from two Commons roles after divulging MPs’ phone numbers while embroiled in a sexting scandal. He retains the Tory whip

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• Foreign secretary David Cameron is in the US and has met with Donald Trump

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• Ministers are going through calls to end the “merciless and nonsensical” fines levied on tens of thousands of unpaid carers for unwittingly breaching earnings rules by a few pounds a week

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• Rats and cockroaches are among hundreds of pests found at English hospitals

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• Veterans of the last Labour government have called on Keir Starmer to place a brand-new Sure Start-style programme at the heart of his election manifesto after research confirmed its transformational impact on disadvantaged young people

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Westminster, the Scottish parliament and the Senedd are in recess, however there is about a switch scheduled at Stormont.

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The predominant match currently even if can be when the Post Space of labor Horizon IT inquiry resumes in London. Alan Batesoutdated faculty subpostmaster and founding father of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance appears to be like. The inquiry, chaired by the retired settle Sir Wyn Williams, began in 2022.

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It is Martin Belam here with you as soon as more currently. I lift out strive and read your complete feedback, and dip into them where I mediate I will even be in fact helpful, however within the event it’s essential perhaps well like to rep my attention basically the most engaging system is to email me – [email protected] – especially within the event you have spotted my inevitable errors and typos, otherwise you mediate I’ve omitted something main.

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Key events

Foreign secretary David Cameron says he is assembly other people in Congress on each sides of the aisle staunch thru his talk over with to Washington, however with trepidation on account of “it’s no longer for international politicians to expose legislators foreign what to shield out.”

He says other people in Tehran, Pyongyang and Beijing are watching carefully whether the West backs its allies against Vladimir Putin’s aggression.

The main demand at the joint press conference between Antony Blinken and David Cameron from the US media turned out to be a multi-part one, which asked two questions to Blinken, two to Cameron, and one joint question. Blinken said a brand new format had been invented.

The main substance of interest to the UK politics blog in the answers was that the foreign secretary had been asked about his meeting with Donald Trump and whether he felt reassured about the long-term US support for Ukraine.

Cameron sidestepped the latter part of the demand, but made a point of asserting that his meeting was entirely in accordance with normal protocols, that he recalled meeting Mitt Romney when in opposition, and that Blinken had met Keir Starmer recently, and that this was entirely to be expected.

He stated his meeting with Trump was private, and would not comment on the discussions.

David Cameron has stated in Gaza he wishes to get 500 aid vehicles a day going into the territory, he wishes to get Ashdod port open, and the matter requires deconfliction. He says he wishes to get a non-permanent halt in fighting, Hamas leaders removed from Gaza and terrorist constructions decommissioned, leading to a political resolution to the fighting. He prefaces this by restating that the UK supports Israel’s right to self-defence. He says the UK and the US are like-minded on solving these worthy concerns.

David Cameron and Antony Blinken are now taking questions from the US media.

In Washington, international secretary David Cameron has stated “in a time of hazard” close relationships matter and none is closer than the UK and the US.

He has stated Ukraine can win its battle and achieve a just peace against Russia, and has praised efforts to produce more ammunition. He says they want a strong outcome from the Nato summit, and in addition they want funding in the form of frozen assets that can be advanced with the G7.

He stated he has “no intention to lecture others” or interfere in US politics, however says it’s profoundly in the interests of the US and its allies to provide more funding for Ukraine. “It is essential to stop Putin,” he says.

Rishi Sunak has offered his congratulations to Simon Harris on becoming taoiseach.

“As the closest of neighbours, I look forward to forging even stronger ties between our two countries so we can work for people right through these islands,” PA Media reports Sunak stated.

Incidentally, there has been a readout from the Donald Trump campaign about his meeting with David Cameron during the foreign secretary’s trip to the US.

Léonie Chao-Fong reports for us that the pair discussed “the need for NATO countries to meet their defence spending requirements” right through a dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.

The pair also discussed “the upcoming US and UK elections, security issues specific to Brexit, the need for NATO countries to meet their defence spending requirements, and ending the killing in Ukraine.”

Antony Blinken has begun speaking at the joint press conference with Cameron.

Politics tamfitronics Alan Bates: it’s a ‘classic flaw’ of authorities that it might not cope with concerns like Horizon scandal ‘without difficulty and sensibly’

In his afternoon proof at the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, campaigner Alan Bates stated it was a “classic flaw” of Government that it might not cope with concerns such as the Horizon scandal “without difficulty and sensibly”, and stated unless it offered to someone like Amazon and received a substantial money injection, “it’s going to be a bugbear for the authorities for the long haul years”.

Edward Henry KC who represents a number of post office operators, requested: “You’ve uncovered over decades the Post Office’s suppression of disclosure covering up the truth over Horizon’s flaws, but you have also uncovered, have you not, the Government’s reckless indifference to the Post Office’s misconduct over decades, would you concede?”

Bates answered: “Yeah, I mediate that’s the case. Since this 300 and sixty five days, I mutter, since the [ITV] drama we’ve had some distance extra publicity regarding the matter nationally.

“I’ve noticed there’s a long-standing frustration with many other organisations that have that relationship with Government as well. It appears to be a classic flaw in the way Government works that it can’t cope with these kinds of things easily and sensibly.”

Bates stated he came to believe a mediation plan intended to address the Horizon IT scandal was part of a “cover-up” and a “fishing expedition” to see what evidence subpostmasters had about Horizon.

Asked by Jason Beer KC for his thoughts on the culture of the Post Office, he told the inquiry:

It’s an execrable organisation. They want disbanding. It wants eliminating. It wants to be raised again from the ground up. The whole of the postal service currently – it’s a pointless duck. It’s beyond saving.

It wants to be sold to someone like Amazon. It needs a significant injection of money and I only think that can happen coming in from the outside. Otherwise it’s going to be a bugbear for the authorities for the long haul years.

Foreign secretary David Cameron is due to talk in Washington alongside US secretary of state, Antony Blinken. Léonie Chao-Fong is following it on our US politics live blog, and I’ll tell you any key points here.

Alan Bates evidence has concluded at the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry for the day. As he finished, the chair Wyn Williams intervened to say that he could see people in attendance putting their hands together ready to applaud him.

He asked them to refrain, saying that other witnesses would appear before the inquiry who would presumably not be so “pleasant”, and he would not seek to have to admonish others for how they reacted in those moments. He stated that while it was not a court of law, it was a public inquiry, and asked those attending to behave accordingly.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has responded on social media to a statement that appears to have been staged this afternoon outside Keir Starmer’s home.

In a post, Sunak wrote “I don’t care what your politics are, no MP should be harassed at their own home. We will not and cannot tolerate this.”

I don’t care what your politics are, no MP should be harassed at their own home.

We will not and cannot tolerate this. https://t.co/w4YDtC0ZpO

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 9, 2024nn”}}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:faux}”>

I don’t care what your politics are, no MP wishes to be confused at their very own residence.

We will no longer and might per chance well simply no longer tolerate this. https://t.co/w4YDtC0ZpO

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 9, 2024

Sunak turned out to be responding to a clip posted to social media which appeared to show activists unveiling a charge asserting “Starmer stop the killing” outside the Labour leader’s dwelling

Within the clip the protesters state Starmer has “broad vitality, broad impact” and that he might “stop UK weapons being sent over to trigger genocide” and halt “Tory oil and gas licences”. The activists appear to have lined up empty children’s shoes leading up to a dwelling.

From the social media story the neighborhood appears to be the same as other people who sprayed Labour HQ with crimson paint the day before this.