Alright pop pickers

The recusal judgment WILL be handed down at 2pm tomorrow in court 26 of the Rolls Building.

The judge may then tell everyone what happens next – he may not.

Unfortunately I cannot be there, but Mrs Goggins can and will. Mrs Goggins is a fictional postmaster run by a real former Subpostmaster. I’ve just had a chat with her. If you follow her on twitter, you will find out the result of the recusal judgment first or via Karl Flinders from Computer Weekly, who I am told will be in court too.

If you have time to wait, keep an eye on the judiciary website or Bailli.org from 2pm onwards. They will both carry the judgment but can be a bit slow off the mark.

Or wait for your secret email which will not arrive in your inbox until late tomorrow evening, but arrive it will.

Mr Bates is angry

Alan Bates (founder of the Justice For Subpostmasters’ Alliance and lead claimant in the Bates v Post Office group litigation) has put out a press release ahead of the recusal judgment. This is what he has to say:

“We are concerned about Post Office’s conduct on many levels. This case has been 15 years in the making and the delay caused by Post Office is deeply distressing to postmasters who have waited to get these issues aired properly in court. Some have died waiting; others have never properly recovered from losing their homes, their income and their status in the community. For those who were prosecuted and have a criminal record, the misery is particularly acute.

“Delay adds not just to the human cost but also to the financial cost. It remains unclear from Government and Post Office correspondence whether, or to what extent, government money has been wrongly used in the past to fund the Post Office’s defence of this case, when that money was supposed to be used for other purposes. Surely it is time for the National Audit Office to step in to investigate how Post Office is funding this case, how it intends to meet our costs and where it is proposing to find the money it will need to redress what it has done, which has become so evident during the court proceedings.

“I am also extremely concerned that Tim Parker, Chairman of the Post Office, is also the Independent Chairman of HM Court Service. This would seem to me to be a glaring conflict of interest. How can it be acceptable that a business leader can be both the Chairman of a defendant that is questioning the impartiality of a Judge and delaying court proceedings, whilst at the same time being responsible for supporting an efficient, fair and quick court system?

“Sadly, as more truth about the way Post Office treated subpostmasters is exposed, the more desperate the Post Office becomes. The Board and Executive seem totally out of control and are being allowed by their sole shareholder, the Government, which remains distracted by other matters, to delay and add to costs, whilst continuing to cite its mantra that ‘it allows Post Office to operate at arms-length’.”

Welcome new secret emailers

Since I wrote my précis of the Common Issues trial judgment (180,000 words reduced to a few key quotes and facts, come and get it while its hot) over the weekend, a whole bunch of people have donated and become secret emailers.

This is likely a direct result of people forwarding this email to their friends and colleagues with their own endorsement.

Thank you. It works.

And hello to the new secret emailers. Your donations have allowed me to create and maintain www.postofficetrial.com as a free resource for anyone who is interested in this litigation. I know there are MPs, lawyers, campaigners, unions, Subpostmasters, Post Office staff, NFSP reps and journalists who follow the posts I put up. Whether they’re doing anything about it is another matter, but they are keeping across the story.

I can only do this thanks to your amazing generosity. Please be assured I am managing the money pot as carefully as I can to ensure that when I spend your cash it is done so carefully, responsibly and transparently. I am tied up all this week, but will aim to publish my third set of “accounts” soon.

Oh and if you do see the legend “fnng industries llp” when you click on the tip jar button, please don’t worry: fnng industries is my company. Catchy name, huh?

Let’s see what tomorrow brings. Lots of people far more qualified than me think there is only a tiny chance the judge will recuse himself. Last time I heard such across the board confidence was the day before the 2016 UK referendum result. I had my doubts then, and I have my doubts now. If the Post Office’s application succeeds pretty much all the gains made by the claimants over the last 6 months will be wiped out.

Best regards

Nick