Alan Bates Describes Post Office as Being Run by ‘Thugs in Suits’

The Horizon IT inquiry reveals that in 2010, a leading campaigner and former subpostmaster accused Ed Davey of allowing the Post Office to be, “asset stripped by little more than thugs in suits.”

Formerly known as Mr. Davey and now Sir Ed Davey and leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, he served as the postal affairs minister from May 2010 to February 2012 in the coalition government under Lord David Cameron.

Following the airing of the ITV drama “Mr. Bates Vs The Post Office,” which focused on the Horizon IT scandal, the Post Office has faced heavy criticism.

Despite increasing evidence of faults in Fujitsu’s Horizon IT system, more than 700 subpostmasters were prosecuted and convicted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015. The system provided misleading information indicating money was missing from sub-post office branches.

Mr. Bates, portrayed by Toby Jones in the ITV drama, gave testimony at the public inquiry regarding the scandal.

Mr. Bates wrote a letter on behalf of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA) group seeking a meeting with Mr. Davey to discuss Horizon IT system issues.

Sir Ed responded by stating that the government had maintained an “arm’s length relationship with the company,” allowing the Post Office commercial freedom to operate without governmental interference.

Ed Davey’s 2010 Response Criticized

Mr. Bates found Sir Ed’s response to be a generic template that did not address the content of his initial letter, noting it to be “disappointing.”

Following Mr. Bates’s second letter, a Civil Service briefing note advised offering a meeting for “presentational reasons against the background of potential publicity.”

Questioned about his offense to the letter, Mr. Bates explained his concerns regarding the government’s sole shareholder position and its omission of involvement or control over the Post Office.

Sir Ed and Mr. Bates eventually met in October 2010. Mr. Bates recalled the meeting but noted no significant positive outcome.

After being dismissed by the Post Office in 2003 due to discrepancies in branch accounting, Mr. Bates began a campaign and dedicated years to confronting the Horizon system issues.

Slides from a presentation on Horizon integrity by a former Post Office manager documented Bates’s dismissal and struggles with accounting.

Mr. Bates emphasized the Post Office’s efforts to discredit and silence him and the group he represents, the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA).

Called to testify in phases five and six of the inquiry, Mr. Bates’s evidence will be followed by questioning of former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells.

Lib Dems Say Ed Davey Misled

The Liberal Democrat party asserts that Ed Davey, like others, was misled by Post Office executives regarding the Horizon IT scandal. They emphasize the need for fair compensation to postmasters and accountability for those who perpetuated deception.

PA Media contributed to this report.