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Alan Bates fought for 23 years to expose the Post Office scandal. His stubbornness changed everything, proving that truth alone is never enough.
It Took One Man’s Stubbornness to Change Everything
For those who live by the principle of doing what is right, there is no fear of exposure—because integrity leaves nothing to conceal. But when institutions or individuals choose deception, their actions inevitably create a trail that cannot be erased. The Post Office scandal is a stark example of how long the truth can be suppressed, but also of how relentless perseverance ensures it will ultimately prevail.
Alan Bates fought for 23 years, not because he had to defend himself, but because he knew the right thing had to be done. His unwavering belief—“When the Truth Comes Out, The Rest Will Follow”—is a reminder that those who act with honesty have no reason to fear the light of scrutiny.
Yet, the long delay in justice raises an uncomfortable question: Why did it take so long for the truth to surface? Institutions built on power rather than principle often resist accountability, hoping time will bury their mistakes. But history shows otherwise—no matter how deeply hidden, the truth has a way of finding its way to the surface.
This scandal is not just about wrongful convictions; it is about the fundamental question of what kind of society we want to be. Do we value truth and justice enough to demand transparency from those in power? Or do we accept that lies, no matter how quickly they spread, will be allowed to stand?
The Post Office tried to deny the truth for decades, but in the end, it was exposed. The lesson is clear: truth is patient, but it is also inevitable.
De Waarheid Komt Uiteindelijk Naar Boven
Het Was de Koppigheid van Één Man Die Alles Veranderde
Voor degenen die leven volgens het principe van doen wat juist is, is er geen angst voor ontmaskering, omdat integriteit niets te verbergen heeft. Maar wanneer instellingen of individuen voor bedrog kiezen, creëren hun daden onvermijdelijk een spoor dat niet gewist kan worden. Het Post Office-schandaal is een schrijnend voorbeeld van hoe lang de waarheid onderdrukt kan worden, maar ook van hoe vastberaden volharding ervoor zorgt dat deze uiteindelijk zal zegevieren.
Alan Bates vocht 23 jaar, niet omdat hij zichzelf moest verdedigen, maar omdat hij wist dat het juiste gedaan moest worden. Zijn onverzettelijke overtuiging—“Wanneer de Waarheid Naar Boven Komt, Zal De Rest Volgen”—herinnert ons eraan dat degenen die handelen met eerlijkheid geen reden hebben om het licht van de doorlichting te vrezen.
Toch roept de lange vertraging van gerechtigheid een ongemakkelijke vraag op: Waarom duurde het zo lang voordat de waarheid naar boven kwam? Instellingen die gebouwd zijn op macht in plaats van principe verzetten zich vaak tegen verantwoording, in de hoop dat de tijd hun fouten zal begraven. Maar de geschiedenis toont anders—hoe diep verborgen de waarheid ook is, deze weet altijd zijn weg naar de oppervlakte te vinden.
Dit schandaal gaat niet alleen over onterechte veroordelingen; het gaat over de fundamentele vraag welk soort samenleving we willen zijn. Waarderen we waarheid en gerechtigheid genoeg om transparantie van degenen in macht te eisen? Of accepteren we dat leugens, hoe snel ze zich ook verspreiden, mogen blijven staan?
De Post Office probeerde de waarheid decennialang te ontkennen, maar uiteindelijk werd deze blootgelegd. De les is duidelijk: waarheid is geduldig, maar ook onvermijdelijk.
The Long Road to Justice: Alan Bates’ Unwavering Fight for the Truth
Alan Bates’ dedication and persistence over those 23 years is nothing short of remarkable. His sentence, “When the Truth Comes Out, The Rest Will Follow,” really encapsulates the long, frustrating journey of waiting for the truth to surface, particularly in the face of so many obstacles.
It’s deeply telling that it took such an extensive amount of time for the truth to be recognized and acknowledged, despite the tireless work of Bates and others. The fact that it took so many years for the inquiry to be heard, and that Bates’ campaign was key to bringing the 555 Subpostmasters into the legal battle in 2019, highlights just how much systemic resistance and indifference there was to addressing the injustice.
It’s true that sometimes the truth does take years, but the impact is undeniably powerful when it finally comes to light. The idea of the truth catching up with the lies is a powerful part of the story, and it feels like this quote of Bates’ sums up that fight for justice in a way that resonates with the long wait.
De toewijding en volharding van Alan Bates gedurende die 23 jaar is ronduit opmerkelijk. Zijn uitspraak, ‘Wanneer de Waarheid Naar Boven Komt, Zal De Rest Volgen,’ vat echt de lange, frustrerende reis samen van het wachten op de waarheid, vooral in het licht van zoveel obstakels.
Het is veelzeggend dat het zoveel tijd kostte voordat de waarheid werd erkend en erkend, ondanks het onophoudelijke werk van Bates en anderen. Het feit dat het zo vele jaren duurde voordat het onderzoek werd gehoord, en dat Bates’ campagne essentieel was voor het betrekken van de 555 Subpostmasters in de juridische strijd in 2019, benadrukt hoeveel systemische weerstand en onverschilligheid er was om de onrechtvaardigheid aan te pakken.
Het is waar dat de waarheid soms jaren kan duren, maar de impact is onmiskenbaar krachtig wanneer deze eindelijk aan het licht komt. Het idee dat de waarheid de leugens inhaalt, is een krachtig onderdeel van het verhaal, en het lijkt alsof deze uitspraak van Bates die strijd voor gerechtigheid samenvat op een manier die resoneert met het lange wachten.
Years of Evidence, Yet the Cover-Up Continues
Mr Bates vs The Post Office – The Real Story
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The Post Office was established in 1660 and had always used paper and pen to balance the books. In 1999, management introduced something completely new—a computer system called Horizon. It was the biggest IT rollout in Europe. The Post Office connected 40,000 terminals across the country to one central hub.
An engineer arrived, screwed it onto the desk, and I asked him what it was. He said, “That’s Horizon.”
Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office – The Real Story
At minute 4: “You are the only one.”
At minute 6: “Mr. Bates’ contract was ended without any reason.”
At minute 24: “The easiest prosecution—no theft at all.”
At minute 39: “We were having to build the case with one arm.”
Internet problems and network issues were causing the errors.
At minute 40: “Multiple smoking guns.”
At minute 45: “Cushy lives.”
It occurred to me that this amounts to the 21st-century equivalent of insisting that the Earth is flat.
Dutch translation:
“Het komt erop neer dat dit in de 21e eeuw het equivalent is van volhouden dat de aarde plat is.”
Trouble at Post Office – Panorama – 17th August 2015
More secret tapes prove Post Office boss briefed on system backdoor
2 apr 2024
More shocking revelations from secret recordings obtained by Channel 4 News show that Post Office boss Paula Vennells was briefed about allegations of a “covert operations teams” – and that it could remotely alter sub-postmasters accounts from Fujitsu’s HQ without them knowing.That was in 2013. Seven years later, in letters to a parliamentary committee, Paula Vennells insisted she had been told by Fujitsu this was not possible.
Meanwhile the Post Office had taken innocent sub-postmasters to court, saying they must have stolen money when their accounts failed to add up – a miscarriage of justice that the tapes also reference.
How a TV drama threw a spotlight on U.K. post office scandal
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Days after TV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office aired in the U.K., outrage over hundreds of postmasters being wrongfully convicted of theft and fraud due to IT problems led the British prime minister to promise exonerations. CBC’s Margaret Evans breaks down the scandal and the plight of the post office managers caught up in it.
The Post Office Horizon Scandal: Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom on campaigning for justice | House of Lords
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8 jan 2024
James Arbuthnot – now Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom – was MP for Northeast Hampshire at the time of the Post Office Horizon Scandal. His constituent Jo Hamilton, was one of the subpostmasters affected and he has been campaigning, alongside others, ever since.
Hear more from Lord Arbuthnot on Horizon and its background, what has happened since and what he hopes will happen next in this clip from the House of Lords Podcast, recorded in June 2021.
James Arbuthnot—now Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom—was the MP for Northeast Hampshire at the time of the Post Office Horizon scandal. His constituent, Jo Hamilton, was one of the subpostmasters affected, and he has been campaigning alongside others ever since.
Hear more from Lord Arbuthnot about Horizon and its background, what has happened since, and what he hopes will happen next in this clip from the House of Lords Podcast, recorded in June 2021.
At minute 12: “Monstrous injustice.”
At minute 14: “Perpetuated it.”
At minute 16: “Those who went to prison.”
At minute 16:30: “Justice is very important. It is part of the psyche of the British people—a sense of fairness.”
It was revealed in 2013, yet nothing was done about it.
Post Office scandal investigators accused of ‘Mafia-style’ bullying of subpostmasters
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11 jan 2024
A former Post Office investigator has told the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal that he and his colleagues did not “behave like mafia gangsters”.
Stephen Bradshaw admitted he had been aware of problems with the IT software, but claimed he was “not technically minded” and was just “a liaison”.
Warning: This report contains some offensive language
At minute 2: Mafia tactics
At minute 2;50: Malevolence
At minute 5: There is no perfect way of doing that
At minute 6:30 Alan Bates went to court
At minute 7: Malevolence: the quality of causing or wanting to cause harm or evil
At minute: 8 More then Malevolence
Post Office scandal investigators accused of ‘Mafia-style’ bullying of subpostmasters
Webpagina: Post Office Scandal: Fetter Lane is where they used to hang people out to dry
MPs wipe floor with disgraceful Post Office in House of Commons
At minute 2: “Mafia tactics”
At minute 2:50: “Malevolence”
At minute 5: “There is no perfect way of doing that.”
At minute 6:30: “Alan Bates went to court.”
At minute 7: “Malevolence – the quality of causing or wanting to cause harm or evil.”
At minute 8: “More than malevolence.”
‘Anything to say to her?’ Post Office investigator Stephen Bradshaw challenged over Horizon scandal
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11 jan 2024
Post Office investigator Stephen Bradshaw challenged over his role in the Horizon scandal that saw many sub-postmasters jailed due to errors in an IT system.
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Malevolent
Causing or wanting to cause harm or evil:
The central character is a malevolent witch out for revenge.
I could feel his malevolent gaze as I walked away.
Alan Bates claims Keir Starmer is yet to respond to Horizon scandal settlements
6 nov 2024 #KeirStarmer #DailyRecord #PostOffice
Sir Alan Bates has told MPs that the Prime Minister has not yet responded to his requests for help with settling redress claims for those affected by the Horizon scandal.
The lead campaigner and former subpostmaster told the Business and Trade Committee’s short inquiry into securing “fast and fair redress” on Tuesday that he wrote to Sir Keir Starmer around a month ago requesting assistance.
Sir Alan was representing claimants from the 555 subpostmasters who took the Post Office to the High Court between 2017 and 2019 – also known as the GLO scheme.
Post Office Horizon LIVE: Sir Alan Bates at Business and Trade Committee hearing on Horizon scandal
6 nov 2024 #KeirStarmer #DailyRecord #PostOffice
Sir Alan Bates has told MPs that the Prime Minister has not yet responded to his requests for help with settling redress claims for those affected by the Horizon scandal.
The lead campaigner and former subpostmaster told the Business and Trade Committee’s short inquiry into securing “fast and fair redress” on Tuesday that he wrote to Sir Keir Starmer around a month ago requesting assistance.
Sir Alan was representing claimants from the 555 subpostmasters who took the Post Office to the High Court between 2017 and 2019 – also known as the GLO scheme.
Alan Bates reacts to ‘rehearsed testimony’ by Paula Vennells | LBC
Educational: This video is essential viewing
Shocking Content
At minute 6: 1/3 of the Subpostmaster
Post Office scandal: former CEO admits evidence was false
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22 mei 2024
Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells has begun giving evidence at the Horizon inquiry.
The ex-CEO broke down in tears four times during her testimony.
Almost a thousand subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted and many believe Ms Vennells was at the heart of an orchestrated cover-up.
But much of her defence today focused around shifting blame, and in her words, being too trusting.
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