Post Office scandal: Worthing MP welcomes Prime Minister’s 'resounding work'

Following an urgent statement in Parliament on January 8, Sir Peter Bottomley – Conservative MP for Worthing West – made clear the Horizon system’s problems ‘should not have led to grossly unjust treatment’ of sub-postmistresses and sub-postmasters who ‘suffered loss of everything, whether prosecuted or not’.

Sir Peter renewed his call for those affected to be exonerated and for there to be a simple ‘mass appeal’ against their convictions.

In response to Sir Peter’s words, the Justice Secretary Alex Chalk informed the House that he was considering bringing a bill to parliament to quash the remaining 800 convictions with a ‘simple bill’.

Two days later, the Prime Minister wrote personally to Sir Peter with confirmation of how the Government would be acting to bring justice to those caught up in this scandal.

In the letter, the Prime Minister committed to introducing primary legislation to provide a blanket exoneration, the awarding of £75,000 to the group of postmasters who brought this injustice to light and, noting the £148 million already paid out to the 2,700 victims, aiming to speed up the roll out of the three existing compensation schemes.

Sir Peter said: “The recent mini-series documentary by ITV has done well to highlight to many the injustice faced by sub-postmasters and mistresses across the country because of a faulty IT system. Whilst it has made many aware, some were already fighting for justice.

"This includes myself. For years I have been vocal to the Government about the need for justice, compensation and compassion for those whose lives have been ruined by this scandal.

“I have been a longstanding supporter of the Post Office All-Party Parliamentary Group. The Horizon Scandal has long been a primary part of the APPG’s work, a leading coalition of voices within Parliament calling for sub-postmasters and Post Office workers to receive the justice they deserve.”

Sir Peter said he was ‘one of the first and longest standing supporters’ of the Justice For Sub-postmasters Alliance (JFSA) within Parliament.

"They have been an effective voice outside of Parliament and a stalwart support for MPs since 2009 when 30 of the victims met for the first time and the campaign for justice was born,” the MP added.

“I want to have confidence that ministers and senior people in business, whether suppliers or customers, will pay attention not to glossy reviews saying how good things are, but to investigative journalists who say how bad things might be for the innocent.

“I welcome the Prime Minister’s resounding work in response to this longstanding campaign and this most recent invigoration of public and political support for justice.”

The case – considered to be one of the biggest ever miscarriages of justice – has made national headlines this month after the Mr Bates vs The Post Office ITV drama.

A bug in the computer system led to financial shortfalls in branch accounts. In recent days, the MP has spoken to other constituents and families affected locally by the scandal.

Former Goring-by-Sea postmistress, Cheryl Shaw, and Sami Sabet, who owned three post offices in Shoreham-by-Sea and Brighton, were among hundreds of people across the country who were convicted because of the company’s defective Horizon accounting system.

Sir Peter added: “People's lives were ruined: jobs were lost, families split up, some were forced into prison and some felt compelled to take their own life. Countless sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted.”

A video recording of Sir Peter’s words in Parliament can be viewed here.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP said: “Hardworking postmasters who worked hard to serve their communities were wronged by erroneous prosecutions. And we're going to make it right.

“Rather than playing political games, we are laser-focused on correcting this miscarriage of justice.

“We will continue to act to make sure that the truth comes to light, we right the wrongs of the past and the victims get the justice they deserve.”