Sir Alan Bates has urged Keir Starmer to set a deadline for compensation to Post Office scandal victims.
The campaigning hero said more than 70 people have died waiting for justice while others “well into their 80s” are still suffering as the scandal rumbles on. He stressed: “A deadline [for compensation] should be set.”
Sir Alan said he had written to the PM twice in the past month saying redress for victims needs to be settled by March 2025. He told MPs on the Business and Trade Committee he had not received a response from the PM.
But minutes after his appearance, No 10 said a reply was sent to Sir Alan on Tuesday. The PM’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister would like to reiterate that Sir Alan Bates has done and is doing outstanding work in campaigning for justice and campaigning for justice.
“It was right that we took the time to consider the issues raised in full and consider our response. We engaged with relevant departments and that response was issued earlier today.”
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He said that the Government intends to ensure affected postmasters receive “substantial redress” by the end of March.
It came as Sir Alan updated MPs on the battle to get compensation for postmasters whose lives were destroyed after a dodgy IT system made it look like they were swindling cash.
He represents claimants from the 555 subpostmasters who took the Post Office to the High Court between 2017 and 2019 – also known as the GLO scheme.
He also told the Committee he has not reached his own financial settlement with the government – despite making an initial claim around 13 months ago. Asked by chairman Labour MP Liam Bryne “what on earth is going on”, Sir Alan, who was knighted for his campaigning efforts, replied: “I wish I knew.
“I think the bureaucracy of the whole thing is definitely a big problem. My initial claim went in on October 12, 2023. I received 80% of the offer like most people have, which is all well and good, but we don’t seem to be getting very far forward.” At the Budget last week, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that £1.8billion has been set aside for victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal.