PM yet to respond to requests for Horizon redress assistance from Sir Alan Bates

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The lead campaigner and former subpostmaster told the Business and Trade Committee’s short inquiry into securing “fast and fair redress” on Tuesday that he wrote to Sir Keir Starmer around a month ago requesting assistance. They really shouldn't Sir Alan Bates Committee chairman Liam Byrne asked Sir Alan: “Do you know when this is going to draw to a close?” The former subpostmaster replied: “I wrote to the Prime Minister about a month ago.” Mr Byrne interjected: “You did, you’ve written twice.” Sir Alan continued: “I wrote to him initially about a month ago and I said that it should be finished, it needs to be finished, by the end of March 2025. Questioned on whether he would consider going “back to court with a crowdfunded campaign for justice”, Sir Alan said: “I would never say never. “But we’ve got to move this forward.” Sir Alan added: “It’s the deadlines that need to be set in this, they’re terrified of having deadlines set, the department.” Appearing alongside Sir Alan were former subpostmaster Dewi Lewis, who was jailed for four months after being wrongfully convicted of theft from his branch, and Jill Donnison, a claimant who worked in her late mother’s branch.