View Full Version : Mr Bates vs the Post Office
I watched this series last night.
If you have the time/inclination please watch it (very well written and acted) then sign this petition:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/strip-paula-vennells-of-her-cbe?source=facebook-share-button&time=1704149675&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=facebook&share=a87177b2-b9e5-48b9-a4d8-0f0567a6a3e9&fbclid=IwAR1PKX7nooSN_wjSa8RqgPSJrUfHvJLB_aSsnGKuI 4RQnNqnVsH8QWVqOD8
Thanks.
Patrick Dixon
03-01-2024, 12:38
Stripping her of a CBE is the least of what should be done.
Apparently she is a big time Christian: goodness only knows how she reconciles the teachings of Christ with her actions.
Stripping her of a CBE is the least of what should be done.
Apparently she is a big time Christian: goodness only knows how she reconciles the teachings of Christ with her actions.
money!
I've been following this dreadful story for some years and the docudrama is IMO very well put together. I watched a programme about a year ago about how much the PO knew about the Fujitsu problem and from an insider at the company it seemed that they were aware for a long time. It would be good if there was corporate manslaughter charge in relation to those that took their own lives said to be 4.
I've been following this dreadful story for some years and the docudrama is IMO very well put together. I watched a programme about a year ago about how much the PO knew about the Fujitsu problem and from an insider at the company it seemed that they were aware for a long time. It would be good if there was corporate manslaughter charge in relation to those that took their own lives said to be 4.
Quite right, I would like to see prosecutions based on the managers destroying those peoples lives for the sake of their own careers.
hifi_dave
03-01-2024, 21:42
Been following this for years and watching the programme now.
Why is it that people in senior positions who commit 'dubious' acts get rewarded for their actions instead of being punished ? If this was the US, Japan and numerous other countries, they would never see the light of day again.
Here’s a way to avoid being in the story; become CEO of ITV
https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1851220/mr-bates-v-the-post-office-itv
Pigmy Pony
04-01-2024, 12:54
Right, I started to watch this while Anita was out having a coffee morning with her friend, but had to stop at the first episode - I want her to watch this with me in it's entirety. After which I know she will also sign the online petition.
I never gave it much attention when first reported, but ITV's dramatisation really brings home the human cost of this scandal and for this they are to be applauded (though the noted absence of the then boss of the Royal Mail is curious) ;)
Personally I don't think stripping Paula Vennells of her CBE goes nearly far enough - the evil bint and all those complicit should be tied to the back of horses and dragged through the streets. I'd pay good money to see that :)
Looking at the numbers signing the petition this is certainly gathering pace.
It makes me so angry. A difficult watch!
hifi_dave
04-01-2024, 20:14
Right, I started to watch this while Anita was out having a coffee morning with her friend, but had to stop at the first episode - I want her to watch this with me in it's entirety. After which I know she will also sign the online petition.
I never gave it much attention when first reported, but ITV's dramatisation really brings home the human cost of this scandal and for this they are to be applauded (though the noted absence of the then boss of the Royal Mail is curious) ;)
Personally I don't think stripping Paula Vennells of her CBE goes nearly far enough - the evil bint and all those complicit should be tied to the back of horses and dragged through the streets. I'd pay good money to see that :)
Looking at the numbers signing the petition this is certainly gathering pace.
There are so many other big players who have been rewarded for dodgy or totally inept business who should be jailed instead of rewarded. What about that woman who ran Coutts when they booted out Farage. Her punishment was a sodding, multi million £ pay off and retirement. I bet she is earning a fortune somewhere else now.
Good for her - anyone who puts Farage's nose out of joint is fine by me.
Patrick Dixon
05-01-2024, 13:06
There are so many other big players who have been rewarded for dodgy or totally inept business who should be jailed instead of rewarded. What about that woman who ran Coutts when they booted out Farage. Her punishment was a sodding, multi million £ pay off and retirement. I bet she is earning a fortune somewhere else now.
You think she should be jailed for that? Doesn't really seem to compare to me.
There's a certain recent former PM who having been in office for less than 40 days, ruined the economy causing immense financial harm for many, yet can now "retire" on a six figure pension for life. I wouldn't be too distressed to see her imprisoned.
hifi_dave
05-01-2024, 15:55
Good for her - anyone who puts Farage's nose out of joint is fine by me.
It wasn't just Farage, it was hundreds of customers whose views didn't match the Bank's. It was also common with all the banks, just ordinary people like you or me being de-banked because their political views' were different to the Bank's. Would you like to be without a bank just because your political views didn't suit the chairman ?
Banks are like any other outfit offering a service, they are under no obligation to serve you, just as shops are under no obligation to deal with you if they don't like your attitude or behaviour.
I expect my political views would be at odds with many CEOs etc., but unlike Farage I don't go shouting my mouth off.
Pigmy Pony
05-01-2024, 16:48
Banks are like any other outfit offering a service, they are under no obligation to serve you, just as shops are under no obligation to deal with you if they don't like your attitude or behaviour.
I expect my political views would be at odds with many CEOs etc., but unlike Farage I don't go shouting my mouth off.
Like most right thinking people my arm would never get tired slapping Farage, but realistically his money is as good as anyones, and the Coutts woman should have known that saying no would bring trouble to her employer's door.
Got to be professional about these things and put personal feelings aside. Then follow him out to the car park and batter him about the head with some rolled up bank statements :)
Pigmy Pony
05-01-2024, 16:56
I watched this series last night.
If you have the time/inclination please watch it (very well written and acted) then sign this petition:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/strip-paula-vennells-of-her-cbe?source=facebook-share-button&time=1704149675&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=facebook&share=a87177b2-b9e5-48b9-a4d8-0f0567a6a3e9&fbclid=IwAR1PKX7nooSN_wjSa8RqgPSJrUfHvJLB_aSsnGKuI 4RQnNqnVsH8QWVqOD8
Thanks.
Petition has just passed half a million signatures. How many are needed? I'd have thought that would be enough.
You think she should be jailed for that? Doesn't really seem to compare to me.
It did crash the Natwest share price which is about 35% owned by the taxpayer - so cost us hundreds of millions.
Worse still the gov is still flogging the shares off in parcels, even though they are only worth a little more than half what we paid for them back in 2008
Yeah I'd jail her.
The problem at Coutts/Nat West was a breach of confidentiality not discrimination against Farage. A FCA inquiry found no discrimination, Farage no longer met the wealth terms for Coutts although no doubt he would again now after I'm a Celebrity. Alison Rose rightly lost her job over the breach of confidentiality but jail seems a bit harsh although I am not a lawyer. She lost £7.6M in bonuses (crazy money) but will no doubt scrape by on the £2.4M she did get.The Nat West share price plunged in October, months after Alison Rose resigned, on a profits downgrade warning, seemingly mainly on a reduced net interest margin, other bank share prices fell at a similar time (Barclays, HSBC, LLoyds). The share price has largely recovered.
The problem at Coutts/Nat West was a breach of confidentiality not discrimination against Farage. A FCA inquiry found no discrimination, Farage no longer met the wealth terms for Coutts although no doubt he would again now after I'm a Celebrity. Alison Rose rightly lost her job over the breach of confidentiality but jail seems a bit harsh although I am not a lawyer. She lost £7.6M in bonuses (crazy money) but will no doubt scrape by on the £2.4M she did get.The Nat West share price plunged in October, months after Alison Rose resigned, on a profits downgrade warning, seemingly mainly on a reduced net interest margin, other bank share prices fell at a similar time (Barclays, HSBC, LLoyds). The share price has largely recovered.
Okay maybe jail is a little bit harsh.
IIRC there was a bank dossier released to Farage which stated that he was 'incompatible with their values', although can't seem to find anything about that now except for an unreferenced mention on Wikipedia.
I'll be honest I haven't read the reports (I think there was an FCA inquiry and Nat West inquiry) and it's always dangerous entering a discussion when I have only limited knowledge gained from news reports where different news organisations have different agendas. I also don't like Farage which will colour my views. However my understanding of the financial implications has come from financial news sources rather than general news.
I recall discussion on twitter regarding incomatible values but don't know whether any conclusions were reached on this in the investigations, I do think one or both investigations found that procedural errors did occur.
I'll be honest I haven't read the reports (I think there was an FCA inquiry and Nat West inquiry) and it's always dangerous entering a discussion when I have only limited knowledge gained from news reports where different news organisations have different agendas. I also don't like Farage which will colour my views. However my understanding of the financial implications has come from financial news sources rather than general news.
I recall discussion on twitter regarding incomatible values but don't know whether any conclusions were reached on this in the investigations, I do think one or both investigations found that procedural errors did occur.
No I think you are right about it being the profit warning collapsing the share price. And although that's still ultimately her responsibility you can't jail her for being a crap CEO :)
I mean if we start doing that then there's not enough prisons to house them all.
Patrick Dixon
06-01-2024, 20:06
It did crash the Natwest share price which is about 35% owned by the taxpayer - so cost us hundreds of millions.
Worse still the gov is still flogging the shares off in parcels, even though they are only worth a little more than half what we paid for them back in 2008
Yeah I'd jail her.
On the other hand, none of the people involved in causing the Banking crash (that cost all us ordinary folks a fortune) has faced any kind of legal sanction. And of course, that's why the taxpayer still owns a sizable chunk of Nat West.
And don't even get me started on Hillsborough.
On the other hand, none of the people involved in causing the Banking crash (that cost all us ordinary folks a fortune) has faced any kind of legal sanction. And of course, that's why the taxpayer still owns a sizable chunk of Nat West.
And don't even get me started on Hillsborough.
well they did strip Fred 'The Shred' of his knighthood. Not much in the grand scheme I know.
I also read that he was on a flight not long after and some passengers started giving him some grief. But I'm sure right now he's dossing about on a yacht somewhere warm. These people always get away with it, just the wau of the world.
Yep - Hillsborough was a disgraceful cover up followed by a 20 year fighting retreat that really should not have been possible.
Had the cozzers round our house for that one to question my father and brother. Questioned me too even though I wasn't even there! Only interested in looking for evidence that Liverpool fans were at fault.
Read and added to petition
Read and added to petition
:thumbsup:
hifi_dave
08-01-2024, 16:39
The petition is well over a million now.
Pigmy Pony
08-01-2024, 17:17
But does this petition have any power to compel her to give it back, or to give anyone the means to take it off her? Maybe not, I can't find a definitive answer to this. But then she could give the damn thing back, and if she doesn't well it just tells us what we already suspect, that she is just a self-important shitbag.
But does this petition have any power to compel her to give it back, or to give anyone the means to take it off her? Maybe not, I can't find a definitive answer to this. But then she could give the damn thing back, and if she doesn't well it just tells us what we already suspect, that she is just a self-important shitbag.
yes there is a committee for it but they don't investigate whether the person is guilty etc, they just look at what others have found. so unless she forfeits, it could be difficult to remove
If the Forfeiture Committee deem the awardee has brought the reputation of the award into disrepute, they can nullify the award.
As the award does not carry a change of title; just the allowance to append some initials after your name, forfeiture of the CBE will not be obviously noticeable to the general public.
Pigmy Pony
08-01-2024, 18:51
If the Forfeiture Committee deem the awardee has brought the reputation of the award into disrepute, they can nullify the award.
As the award does not carry a change of title; just the allowance to append some initials after your name, forfeiture of the CBE will not be obviously noticeable to the general public.
But at least she wouldn't be able to stick 'CBE' at the end of her name, which is something I suppose.
It seems that the Post Office knew about the 'glitches' in the Horizon program for a long time, but preferred to keep quiet about it and continue to falsely prosecute the postmasters in order to save the "good name" of the Post Office.
Clearly there were senior employees who expedited such a cover up. They should be identified and charged with actions intended to pervert the course of justice. If found guilty, it can carry a heavy prison sentence. I would like to see them all locked up - but no doubt any incriminating e-mails have been deleted, so nothing will happen.
It seems that the Post Office knew about the 'glitches' in the Horizon program for a long time, but preferred to keep quiet about it and continue to falsely prosecute the postmasters in order to save the "good name" of the Post Office.
Clearly there were senior employees who expedited such a cover up. They should be identified and charged with actions intended to pervert the course of justice. If found guilty, it can carry a heavy prison sentence. I would like to see them all locked up - but no doubt any incriminating e-mails have been deleted, so nothing will happen.
Absolutely right regarding the senior managers - I find it hard to believe that some of these people were happy not seen postmasters being imprisoned /ostracised in their communities - worst cases committing suicide, just to hang on to their jobs.
What complete and utter …………………..(insert whatever term of abuse you think is appropriate)
i think govt are as much to blame.
Press as usual don't come out well either.
Computer Weekly did their best
Pigmy Pony
19-02-2024, 15:54
It seems that the Post Office knew about the 'glitches' in the Horizon program for a long time, but preferred to keep quiet about it and continue to falsely prosecute the postmasters in order to save the "good name" of the Post Office.
Clearly there were senior employees who expedited such a cover up. They should be identified and charged with actions intended to pervert the course of justice. If found guilty, it can carry a heavy prison sentence. I would like to see them all locked up - but no doubt any incriminating e-mails have been deleted, so nothing will happen.
They could say they communicated by letter but it must have got lost in the post.
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