![]() However, attention has also fallen on the Conservatives’ links to Fujitsu, which provided the faulty Horizon accounting software, on which the convictions were based. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. For more information see our Privacy Policy. skip past newsletter promotionĮnter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. Sunak’s announcement of the plan was made in response to a seemingly planted question from Lee Anderson, the Tory party deputy chair, who called for Ed Davey, who was minister responsible for postal affairs from 2010 to 2012, to quit as Liberal Democrat leader. While the plan will swiftly clear and compensate the more than 900 people prosecuted by the Post Office after being wrongly accused of taking money between 19, a parallel political row is still raging over responsibility for the affair. There’s lots of different stakeholders involved in government.” That’s what we’re here for,” Hollinrake said. “Of course we respond to public pressure. Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday evening, Hollinrake accepted that the pace of the response had been sped along by the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office, broadcast in four parts last week, which told the story of Alan Bates, the post office operator who led the campaign against the injustice. Usually a law such as the one proposed by Sunak to quash the convictions would not have effect in Scotland, but Yousaf indicated that a legislative consent motion approved in the Scottish parliament would be the quickest way of ensuring that it did apply north of the border. Writing to Sunak, he said he wanted to work with the UK government to ensure victims across the UK were exonerated. Later Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf confirmed that everyone convicted in Scotland as part of the scandal would likewise be cleared. Anxious care should be taken as to ensuring the independence of the judiciary and the government must be careful about setting legal and constitutional precedent.”ĭowning Street said: “We don’t take this step lightly and have consulted with the judiciary.” It must not, must never, be seen as a precedent.” Sam Townend KC, the chair of the Bar Council, said: “We will examine the proposals carefully. “These are exceptional circumstances, it is an extraordinary measure. It breaches a fundamental principle which is effectively the government legislating against decisions, against the independence of the courts. However, legal organisations said ministers should give assurances to parliament, and within the bill, that this was a one-off.ĭavid McNeill from the Law Society said: “Are we feeling queasy about it? Are we looking down with a sort of queasy sense of vertigo? Yes, we are. The plan also won immediate backing from Labour, meaning it will pass parliament without hindrance. Once a job’s done, the job’s done, and we can relax a bit - but we’re not there yet.” “We’ve got the whole country behind us now. “It’s about time, this was the decent thing to do,” he told the Times. The announcement was greeted with approval from Alan Bates – the postmaster who has campaigned for 20 years to expose the scandal. Rishi Sunak announces law quashing Post Office scandal convictions – video He added: “We will make sure that the truth comes to light, we right the wrongs of the past and the victims get the justice they deserve.” The victims must get justice and compensation.” “People who worked hard to serve their communities had their lives and their reputations destroyed through absolutely no fault of their own. ![]() “This is one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history,” Sunak said during prime minister’s questions. Setting out details of the plan to MPs, the business minister responsible for postal affairs, Kevin Hollinrake, conceded that the blanket approach could mean some people fraudulently receiving compensation but that the risk was worth it to end the long wait. ![]() It was reported that the bill of at least £450m would be footed by the taxpayer. Those who are part of a separate group litigation, who have already received some money, will be offered £75,000 each. Anyone who has their conviction overturned will be given an upfront offer of £600,000 or allowed to proceed with a detailed assessment process if they feel they are owed more.
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