Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Torbay Weekly and you can read the latest edition (Published on Thursday 30th May 2024) below:
Post Office
The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill became law on Friday, quashing the remaining convictions based on flawed evidence from the horizon system.
After all the pain caused to Sub-Postmasters and their families there was a genuine sense of justice being done, as at the same time former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells was being held to account by the Post Office Horizon Inquiry. Over three days she was confronted with her own actions and record, including how she ignored repeated warnings about Horizon, allowing prosecutions to continue and giving inaccurate information to a Parliamentary Committee. Former Postal Services Ministers, including Sir Ed Davey, are due to appear before the Inquiry in July.
There will now follow a process of providing financial compensation to those exonerated having been convicted of a crime they did not commit. The Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme will open in the summer. Optional fixed awards of £600,000 will be available to applicants. Those with larger claims will be able to have their claims individually accessed.
Contaminated Blood
After decades of pain, suffering and victims having to endlessly campaign for justice, last week Sir Brian Langstaff published the report of the Infected Blood Inquiry.
It runs to 7 large volumes, as it sets out in detail how a scandal which cost thousands of lives could and SHOULD have been avoided. The report pulls no punches in how it describes the years of cover up and official denial which followed, across our NHS, Civil Service and in politics. As the Prime Minister stated this was a failure of the British State in its entirety.
Sadly, the passage of time and the inquiry only starting work in 2018, means many who should have been held to account have now passed away. Tragically several campaigners who gave their all to get answers, also did not live to see the day Sir Brian finally provided them.
Since first being elected in May 2015 I have been assisting some local victims in pursuing their cases and quest for justice. Virtually all MPs have similar cases, ones which have been on their case books for years, even decades. It is what prompted me to be one of 22 Conservatives who voted against the Government last year to help deliver the compensation they deserve. The bill we successfully amended being passed by Parliament just ahead of the General Election.
Now I look forward to working with local victims to get the compensation payouts they deserve and Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations implemented, then being able to finally (successfully) close the cases first opened by my predecessor a generation ago.
Election
With an election being called I will be out and about campaigning.
I look forward to meeting Torbay Weekly readers to discuss how we take our bay forward, as other candidates and parties simply cannot offer a plan or an ability to deliver for our bay.
During an election period, restrictions are applied to resources funded by Parliament. This means my weekly advice surgeries must be cancelled during the election campaign, although my East St office is still able to deal with urgent personal casework. You can either email me at [email protected] or leave a message on 01803 214989 if you need to get in touch about an urgent casework issue.
