CWU Statement Regarding Mr Bates VS the Post Office

COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION

05/01/2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CWU STATEMENT REGARDING MR BATES VS THE POST OFFICE

CWU National Officer Andy Furey said: “Mr Bates vs the Post Office has been a tremendously moving depiction of such a harrowing story that has rightly been described as the greatest miscarriage of justice ever seen in the UK.

“Alan Bates and the Justice For Sub-Postmaster Alliance must be lauded for their tireless efforts to expose the disgraceful actions of the Post Office.

“The emotional response from across the country has been a vindication for Alan Bates and those who fought a crusade to overturn the Post Office establishment, who closed ranks to defend the Horizon system – even though this meant Postmasters being imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit.

“It has also been vindicating for CWU members in the Post Office, who have supported the efforts of the JFSA in fighting this injustice for well over a decade.

“Sadly, this fight was necessary as hundreds of Postmasters were let down and abandoned by the National Federation of SubPostmasters, who failed them every step of the way due to their  blind and unquestionable support for the Post Office Board.

“The CWU fully reiterates our demand that the government strips former Chief Executive Officer Paula Vennells of her CBE – this honour for Post Office services is an insult to every postmaster who were treated so abhorrently under her leadership.

“We also urge all of this nation’s Post Office workers and Postmasters to join a real union – the CWU.”

ENDS

For more information or further enquiries, please contact CWU Press Officer Marcus Barnett at mbarnett@cwu.org.