Alan Bates, the activist who highlighted the Post Office scandal, will receive a knighthood after being recognized in the King’s Birthday Honors list.
Other Famous faces on the list include artist Tracey Emin and cyclist Mark Cavendish, who will receive the title of lady and knight respectively.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown received the highest possible award, being named a Companion of Honor.
Singer Rebecca Ferguson, Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon, Countdown’s Susie Dent and Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden were among the showbiz names to become MBEs.
Bates founded the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance and told Sky News he is accepting the honor “not just for myself… but on behalf of the whole group”.
He described the award – given to him for services to justice – as “a recognition of the hell they have been through over the years”.
“It’s not just for me, it’s for all of them,” he said.
Hundreds of subpostmasters were wrongfully convicted of robbery of the Post Office because of a faulty accounting system called Horizon.
Read more: All the big names recognized in the list of honors for the king’s birthday
Bates rejected the offer of an OBE last year because the former Postal Service chief Paula Vennelles received a CBE in 2019.
The former CEO presented the award in January and was later officially stripped of title by king amid fallout from a TV drama about the scandal.
Bates said it would have seemed “wrong” to accept an OBE last year, adding that it would have seemed “an insult” to other former subpostmasters.
“We’re much more advanced with everything now,” he added.
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Bates said the knighthood was “a bit shocking, a bit unexpected” – and he initially thought “it was a bit nerve wracking”.
He admitted that he “evaluated” whether he should accept the honor, considering that there is still “work to do” and that many victims have not received full and fair financial compensation.
Bates encouraged other wronged former deputy postmasters to “stand tall” and not “sell themselves short” — promising they will “go back to court” to fight for compensation, if necessary, this fall.
He also said he believes Fujitsu, the company behind the flawed Horizon accounting system, has not yet contributed to the compensation.
“I think they’re going to have to shell out somewhere along the way,” he said.
“I see the government right now providing reparations to people, as a kind of intermediary.
“I think there’s a lot of money to be recovered from other places to reimburse the taxpayer for all of this.”
‘We have to distribute money to the victims’
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Meanwhile, a team of around 80 Metropolitan Police officers are believed to be closely monitoring the Post Office inquiry.
Bates insisted that they “certainly should look at whether or not there are criminal prosecutions that should be brought, and not just for individuals but also for corporate charges.”
He met with police officers last month, shortly before Mrs Vennells gave evidence at the Post Office inquiry – which was also the day he was offered a knighthood.
Police are still investigating the Postal Service, Bates says
If the police had said they were not investigating the matter, the former subpostmasters would have raised private funds to prosecute, he said.
“Unlike them – the Post Office is suing the sub-postmasters,” he said. “I think we have to wait and see the evidence first – before the lawsuits.”
When asked whether or not he has confidence in the Post Office and its interim chairman, Nigel Railton, at the moment, Bates replied: “I don’t know, but I mean, if he decided to sell the business, I would strongly support him. “
Alan Bates during the Post Office inquiry. Photo: PA
Bates reflected on how life has changed for him and his wife since the TV show aired, describing himself as “the least likely celebrity you could ever meet”.
“It was always about work,” he said. “Doing the work is not about me.
“I still like to escape to the hills, when I can, alone.”
Mr Bates’ wife Suzanne ‘very proud’
When Mr. Bates receives a knighthood, his wife Suzanne will automatically become a Lady.
“She was always a lady to me,” he insisted. “It’s not going to change our lives at all. We’ll just be Alan and Suzanne.”
Alan Bates and his wife Suzanne Sercombe in April. Photo: PA
Suzanne said she is “very proud” of her husband, who she said is “very, very deserving.”
In response to Bates’ statement about Fujitsu not contributing compensation, the company said in a statement: “The Fujitsu Group has always taken this matter with the utmost seriousness and offers its deepest apologies to the sub-postmasters and their families.
“The UK statutory public inquiry is ongoing and we remain steadfast in our commitment to cooperate fully.
“Based on the findings of the inquiry, we will also work with the UK government on appropriate action, including contributing to compensation.
“The Fujitsu Group hopes for a quick resolution that ensures a fair outcome for the victims.”
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