Susanna and Ben defend Post Office hero after 'cruel' compensation offer

01 February 2024 , 10:28

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Susanna and Ben defend Post Office hero after 'cruel' compensation offer

Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard grilled Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott, on the government's "cruel" compensation offer to Alan Bates on Thursday's Good Morning Britain.

During the latest instalment, hosts Susanna, 53, and Ben, 49, spoke to Trott live from Westminster after Post Office hero Alan said he will reject an offer of compensation from the government. Alan, who has led the campaign for justice in the Post Office Horizon scandal and whose two-decade fight inspired the ITV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office, branded the offer as "offensive" and "cruel".

The Government confirmed plans for "full and fair compensation" to subpostmasters affected by the IT scandal in 2022. However, Alan said the compensation offer had been "around a sixth" of what he requested. He told the Telegraph: "'Full and fair' might be His Majesty’s Government’s interpretation, but in reality the offer is derisory, offensive and after all this time, yes, cruel. I will absolutely be turning this offer for financial redress down.

Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard grilled Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott, on the government's "cruel" compensation offer to Alan Bates on Thursday's Good Morning Britain (ITV)

"It’s just a terrible way to treat human beings – and I have heard from several subpostmasters who have received similarly derisory offers, while others are still waiting."

Grilling Trott on Thursday's show, Ben said: "Why should Alan Bates have to go back and fight this yet again after everything they've already been through. Why should he and his solicitors, his forensic accountants, equate for every single penny that he's asking for in compensation. Why should that not just be delivered, why should he have to fight back again?"

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To which Trott replied: "Look, you're right, and we need to make sure these processes are easy as possible for postmasters and postmistresses that have gone through so much."

However, a baffled Susanna later said: "I'm sorry but this happened yesterday, this didn't happen years ago, this has happened since everybody watched the scandal on television and since the Prime Minister said everybody will be fairly compensated."

She added: "You are not doing this fairly or in a timely fashion, would you acknowledge that?" to which Trott responded: "I totally understand what you are saying. We can’t make things happen overnight in government", adding: "I absolutely commit to you that we will continue to look at this and see whether we’re getting it right."

Olivia Wheeler