Sir Alan Bates Criticizes UK Post Office Compensation Scheme as 'Quasi-Kangaroo Courts'

Sir Alan Bates, a former subpostmaster and justice campaigner, has strongly criticized the UK government's handling of compensation for victims of the Horizon IT scandal, describing the process as resembling 'quasi-kangaroo courts' where the Department for Business and Trade arbitrarily alters claim parameters. Bates revealed he received a final 'take it or leave it' compensation offer amounting to less than half of his original claim, despite earlier promises that the process would be 'non-legalistic.' More than 900 subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted due to faulty Horizon software, with many still awaiting full compensation despite government pledges of payouts up to £600,000 for those with overturned convictions. Bates, who was knighted for his campaigning efforts, is calling for an independent body to oversee compensation schemes not only for Horizon but also for future public sector scandals, aiming to ensure fairness and reduce government interference. The government has stated it offers independent review panels and aims to give the benefit of the doubt to claimants but faces criticism over delays and perceived unfairness. Bates has also suggested that legal action, such as a judicial review, may be necessary to prompt a fair resolution for victims.