Post Office scandal: Hero Alan Bates should refuse a ‘tainted’ honour

Published

1 year ago

January 14, 2024

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The TV drama series Mr Bates vs The Post Office has had such impact because it suddenly humanised a widespread miscarriage of justice which had been reported on with seemingly little public outcry for at least a decade.

Instead of dry court reports, documentaries and articles, millions of viewers could see, acted out, how the devastating and false charges of dishonesty destroyed the lives and livelihoods of the sub-postmasters and mistresses.

Hundreds of people were directly affected but the drama offered up a hero and a villain: Alan Bates, who has doggedly fought for his colleagues over two decades and Paula Vennells, chief executive of the Post Office from 2009 to 2019, when the abuses were at their worst.

Any drama needs lead characters but it is perhaps a uniquely British trait that popular reaction to the shocking revelations has concentrated on what titles they should and should not receive from the honours system.

Well over a million people signed a petition demanding that Ms Vennells should lose her CBE.

In the face of unbearable pressure, including from the prime minister, and facing an investigation by the Forfeiture Committee, she gave it up voluntarily last week.

A rather smaller number, in the tens of thousands, backed the “Honour Alan Bates” petition by the weekend.

But the pressure is on him in the other direction, to accept one.

Once again Downing Street weighed in saying it would be “common sense” he should be recognised.

Mr Bates previously turned down an OBE, a lower rank in the British Empire Order, so long as Ms Vennells had the higher Commander of the British Empire.

Now he says “if anyone chooses to offer me one, then come back and ask me”.

Honours – from the humble MBE, Member of the British Empire, all the way up to Knights and Dames – are in the sole gift of the monarch, known as the “Fount of Honour” in this context.

They are usually only awarded on the recommendation of the prime minister after various sub-committees have considered nominations and requests.

Since 1997, peerages conferring seats in the House of Lords for life have been formally separate from the system.

Apart from automatic appointments for some Church of England bishops and judges, they are political appointments in the gift of the prime minister and party leaders, even when those accepting peerages opt to be non-aligned.

These appointments are the greatest pieces of patronage open to the prime minister and the only honours with a potential cash value.

Peers get a vote in a law-making chamber and can claim a basic £342 for every day they attend parliament, plus some travel and accommodation expenses.

Honours are intended to give people recognition “for their valuable service and contribution, perhaps to charity, to the emergency services, or to their industry or profession”.

Some recipients or the organisations they work for eagerly seek nomination for awards.

John Major told a parliamentary committee that dealing with such requests was one of the most unpleasant aspects of being prime minister.

Others rule themselves out.

Those who have rejected honours include Rudyard Kipling, Graham Greene, David Bowie, Nigella Lawson, Jon Snow, LS Lowry, John Le Carré, Claire Tomalin, Michael Frayn, John Cole and David Dimbleby.

Reasons vary. Some, including French and Saunders, say they see no reason why they should be honoured for doing what they enjoy.

Others, especially journalists, have qualms about being rewarded by the establishment they are supposed to be holding to account.

The author Graham Greene, like some others of the most distinguished in British society, held out until tempted by the most exclusive honours.

Greene accepted membership of the orders in the gift of the monarch alone: the Companionship of Honour (65 members) and the Order of Merit (25 members).

Honours lists have increasingly become celebrity hit parades, sprinkled with actors, pop stars, and TV personalities for the amusement of the masses.

The system and the recipients have also been embarrassed by subsequent revelations – as the Conservative Baroness Michelle Mone is discovering.

It is hit and miss whether those caught up in controversy lose their honours – unless, like Ms Vennells, they surrender them.

Most at risk are pillars of their profession who are subsequently disbarred or businesspeople caught up in financial scandal.

Lord Kagan and Jack Lyons had their knighthoods “annulled”. So did Fred “the Shred” Goodwin of RBS and James Crosby of HBOS, at his request, after the credit crunch.

But, in spite of a vote to remove it by MPs, it seems that, technically, Sir Philip Green of the Arcadia group still holds his.

Honours expire with death so it remains moot whether the late Sir Jimmy Savile has been de-knighted.

Until 2014, it was impossible to kick out members of the House of Lords. A reform act now means that they can be expelled if they receive a prison sentence of a year or more. It is also permitted to resign altogether from the Lords, although this is not the same as taking “leave of absence”, as Lady Mone is now doing.

Most countries have honours systems such as France’s Legion D’Honneur and the congressional and presidential medals of honour in the US.

The difficulty with the British system is that it is so extensive and contains so many different gradations.

In his evidence to MPs, Graham Smith of the Republic Campaign argued: “Rather than simply recognising people, you are elevating them and implying there is a structure within society in which some people have a higher status than others.

“I do not think that is appropriate in a democratic society where we are all supposed to be recognised as equal citizens with political equality, if not other forms of equality.”

Politicians and judges who are still serving are banned from receiving the Order of Canada. But British honours are also dished out by political leaders to others who are still politically active; in the case of Lords, until they die.

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown chose not to have a resignation honours list. David Cameron revived the practice and put 15 aides into the House of Lords.

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Boris Johnson got to install 30-year-old Charlotte Owens and 31-year-old Ross Kempsell into the upper chamber for life. Even Liz Truss, prime minister for 49 days, made her own appointments.

It is well established that major donors to political parties buy themselves a golden ticket to elevation. To those who say the UK is not as corrupt as other countries, my reply is: “What about the Lords?”

Defenders of the UK system say it is valuable because of the hundreds of unsung heroes and heroines who receive recognition. They tend to get the lower honours, while the top gongs – CBEs, peerages etc – go to the already powerful. They are receiving crumbs from a tainted table.

Alan Bates deserves all the respect and praise we can give him, for his defiance of corporate, judicial and political indifference, his decency and his honourable determination to clear the name of so many and obtain compensation for them. My advice to the people’s hero, however, is do not “Arise Sir Alan”.

UK

Post-mortem results reveal injuries of British couple found dead at home in France

Published

7 hours ago

February 11, 2025

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Post-mortem results reveal injuries of British couple found dead at home in France

Police investigating the deaths of a British couple at their home in rural France have released details from a post-mortem examination.

Prosecutors say Dawn Searle, 56, was found at their property in Les Pesquies with “several” injuries to her head, while her husband, Andrew Searle, 62, was found hanged with no visible defensive injuries.

They are investigating whether the deaths are the result of a murder-suicide or if a third party was involved.

The pair are said to have been found dead by a German friend, who lives nearby, on Thursday after Mr Searle didn’t arrive for one of their regular dog walks.

The couple moved to the hamlet of Les Pesquies around a decade ago and married in the nearby town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in the south of France, in 2023.

A statement from the office of public prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller said Ms Searle was found partially dressed with a major wound to her skull next to a box with jewellery inside.

But no object or weapon was found that could’ve caused the wounds, which an autopsy carried out in Montpellier on Monday found were caused by a blunt and sharp object. There were no signs of sexual assault.

The house appeared to have been quickly searched, while some cash was found in the couple’s room.

Investigators are conducting further examinations, including toxicology and pathology tests, to help determine the precise circumstances of their deaths.

They each have two children from previous relationships and Ms Searle’s son, the country musician and former Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr, said they were in mourning in a statement posted on Saturday.

Family members are understood to have travelled to France, where they have spoken with investigators.

The mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, who was also a neighbour of the Searles, said villagers and the British expat community were going to be getting “psychological help” following the incident, which has left locals in shock.

Speaking to Sky News from the town hall in which he conducted the couple’s wedding ceremony, he said: “It doesn’t seem like the problem comes from here because when we knew them and saw them living here they were very happy, very friendly and didn’t seem to have any problems.

“The problem seems to come from the past or somewhere far away.

“It’s an isolated act, it’s very independent. It doesn’t say that it’s a very dangerous territory, in fact, it’s very peaceful and that’s why probably Andy and Dawn chose to live here, because it’s very peaceful.

“Now, did their past come back and get them? That’s another story. That’s totally different from where we are. It could’ve happened anywhere.”

A Foreign Office spokesperson previously said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities.”

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

UK

Warren Gatland leaves role as Wales rugby head coach with immediate effect

Published

7 hours ago

February 11, 2025

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Warren Gatland leaves role as Wales rugby head coach with immediate effect

Warren Gatland is leaving his role as Wales rugby head coach with immediate effect.

The 61-year-old was in charge of the national team between 2007 and 2019, before returning to the post in 2022.

He is Wales‘s longest-serving head coach and arguably the most successful in the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) history, with a gate at Cardiff‘s Principality Stadium renamed “Gatland’s Gate” in honour of him in 2019.

But pressure has been growing on Gatland amid a record string of defeats for his Welsh side – 14 losses in a row.

The WRU confirmed on Tuesday that Gatland will be replaced by Cardiff Rugby head coach Matt Sherratt on an interim basis.

The team had a disappointing autumn international series, including losing to Fiji at home in Cardiff for the first time.

The team also suffered the indignity of picking up the wooden spoon in last year’s Six Nations championship for the first time since 2003, and are yet to win a game at this year’s tournament.

Wales failed to score in this year’s opening match, losing to France 43-0, before going on to lose to Italy 22-15 on Saturday.

Gatland returned to Welsh rugby union after succeeding fellow New Zealander Wayne Pivac as Wales head coach.

He also served as head coach for three British and Irish Lions tours in 2013, 2017, and 2021.

In his original stint as Wales head coach, Gatland oversaw four Six Nations victories – including three grand slams, when Wales won every game they played.

Gatland reached out to WRU chief executive Abi Tierney on Monday to discuss his future.

Ms Tierney said Gatland and the union agreed that making the change now – part way through the Six Nations championship – was “in the best interests of the Wales squad”.

She said the WRU was grateful to Gatland “for all he has done for the game in Wales”.

“He remains our longest-serving and most decorated head coach in terms of the silverware he has won,” she added.

‘Time for a change’

Gatland thanked the WRU for “affording [him] the time and resource to try to turn things around for this 2025 tournament”.

“We have worked hard, we have a talented young squad that is developing and have been desperate to turn potential into results but now is the right time for a change,” he added.

Sherratt will oversee Wales for the rest of the tournament, before a permanent replacement is named ahead of fixtures in Japan in the summer.

Speaking ahead of this year’s Six Nations championship, Gatland told critics to “write us off at your peril”.

Gatland is not the first departure from the WRU in recent months, after the WRU’s executive director of rugby quit in December.

When he stepped down, Nigel Walker said it was “right” that he was “judged on performances on the pitch”.

He said: “Both of our senior teams have found the last 12 months extremely difficult and therefore I believe now is the right time for me to step down”.

UK

Sue Gray takes up seat in House of Lords – and receives new title

Published

7 hours ago

February 11, 2025

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Sue Gray takes up seat in House of Lords - and receives new title

Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff Sue Gray has taken up her place in the House of Lords after she was nominated by the prime minister for a peerage.

Ms Gray will now be known as Baroness Gray of Tottenham, representing the area in north London where she was born, and she will sit in the upper chamber as a Labour peer.

The former civil servant, who quit Downing Street last October after about three months in the role, was nominated for a life peerage by the prime minister in December.

She had resigned from her job as Sir Keir’s top adviser amid a power struggle in Number 10.

It saw Morgan McSweeney, Labour’s former campaign director who masterminded the party’s election landslide, replace her in the role.

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Ms Gray rose to public prominence after authoring the report into parties in Downing Street during the pandemic.

Her move to Labour attracted headlines from the beginning, with the Tories raising questions about how much contact she’d had with the party about the top job while still a civil servant.

But it was an internal row that led to her leaving the chief of staff role, with Labour’s first three months in office dominated by negative headlines about her.

Tensions over Ms Gray’s position reached a crescendo when her salary of £170,000 – some £3,000 more than the prime minister – was leaked to the BBC in an apparent attempt to damage her politically.

It was also reported at the time that she was blamed by party staff who were disgruntled they were not being paid more than what they received when Labour was in opposition.

Ms Gray missed Labour’s first party conference in power as the prime minister attracted scrutiny for the more than £100,000 worth of gifts he accepted as Labour leader, including tickets to football matches, concerts and luxury clothes.

Baroness Gray was later offered the role of the prime minister’s envoy for the nations and regions, which she ultimately rejected after missing the first key summit relevant to her new remit.

In her resignation letter last October, Ms Gray said that while it had been “an honour to take on the role of chief of staff”, it had become clear that “intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change”.

“It is for that reason I have chosen to stand aside, and I look forward to continuing to support the prime minister in my new role,” she added.

Ms Gray was among 30 new Labour peerages announced ahead of Christmas to redress the party “imbalance” in the House of Lords.

The Conservatives nominated six people, and the Liberal Democrats two.

Taking her seat in the unelected House of Lords, Ms Gray wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short introduction ceremony in the upper chamber, where she swore the oath of allegiance to the King.

She was supported by former Whitehall chief and independent crossbencher Lord O’Donnell and fellow Labour peer Baroness Harman.

Her son, the Labour MP Liam Conlon, watched the ceremony from the public gallery in the Lords.