• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Post Office hero Alan Bates praised over for his decision to reject an OBE

Home> News> UK News

Published 16:32 3 Jan 2024 GMT

Post Office hero Alan Bates praised over for his decision to reject an OBE

He's been hailed a 'man of honour'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Post Office scandal hero Alan Bates has been praised for turning down an OBE.

The scandal saw numerous sub postmasters be wrongly accused and convicted of theft and fraud due to an IT glitch - with some even being jailed for crimes they didn’t commit.

It is to be one of the UK’s biggest miscarriage of justice and the story is currently being told in the ITV four-part drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

In the show, which some viewers said left them feeling ‘sick’, real-life former sub postmaster Bates is played by Toby Jones - a man determined to fight for justice for those caught up in the scandal.

A release from ITV explains: “The drama tells the story of one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history. Hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system.

Advert

"Many of the wronged workers were prosecuted, some of whom were imprisoned for crimes they never committed, and their lives were irreparably ruined by the scandal.

ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office aired last night.
ITV

“Following the landmark Court of Appeal decision to overturn their criminal convictions, dozens of former sub postmasters and postmistresses have been exonerated on all counts as they battled to finally clear their names.

"They fought for over ten years finally proving their innocence and sealing a resounding victory, but all involved believe the fight is not over yet, not by a long way.”

Commenting on the show, the real-life Bates said: "This is one of the most egregious scandals the country has ever seen and a major corporation has managed to keep it covered up for years.

Advert

"Thankfully this has now been exposed and the victims are finally on their way to finding the justice they deserve."

And former Countdown star Carol Vorderman was quick to heap praise on Bates after it was revealed he had turned down an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) due to his anger at the fact former Post Office boss Paula

The four-part show stars Toby Jones and Julie Hesmondhalgh.
ITV

Vennells had became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2019.

Speaking to the Mirror, Bates said: “The first thing that sprang to my mind while reading the letter was Paula Vennells still had a CBE. I felt so deeply insulted.”

Advert

So Bates wrote back to say he wouldn’t be accepting the OBE.

Posting on X, Vorderman hailed Bates as a ‘man of honour’, writing: "Alan Bates turned down an OBE as Paula Vennells, the woman in charge of the Post Office through the Horizon Scandal, retains her CBE and refuses to give it back.”

Conservative minster Kevin Hollinrake also told ITV's Good Morning Britain that Vennells should 'seriously consider handing that back voluntarily at this point in time'.

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Topics: UK News, TV and Film, ITV

Claire Reid
Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • Getty Stock Images
    8 hours ago

    Scientists have 'finally solved' mystery of Easter Island heads in groundbreaking discovery

    Scientists believe they've cracked the process in which the statues were moved into place

    News
  • Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
    8 hours ago

    Urgent note handed to Donald Trump by Secretary of State has been exposed by zoomed-in photo

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed Donald Trump a note at a roundtable event in the White House’s Blue Room

    News
  • Vicky Unwin
    9 hours ago

    Woman whose daughter died after ketamine overdose reveals why she still wants the drug legalised

    Vicky Unwin's daughter Louise died from a ketamine overdose in 2011

    News
  • YouTube/I (don’t) have dementia
    10 hours ago

    Man diagnosed with Alzheimer's aged 41 shares potentially life changing health update

    Australian researcher Fraser has shared a health update after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in 2024

    News
  • Michael Cera had to 'lie down for half an hour' after being slapped by Rihanna
  • John Cena praised for response after podcast host asks him about rumour he had died
  • Moment Big Brother contestant is told he's being evicted form house due to 'unacceptable behaviour'
  • Stephen Graham praised for 'making his own rules' when naming top five films