Honorary doctorate for Post Office campaigner

Sir Alan Bates became the subject of a television series which brought the Horizon scandal to the forefront of public consciousness

Campaigner Sir Alan Bates is to receive an honorary doctorate in recognition of his work to get justice for wrongfully convicted postmasters.

Coventry University will award the doctorate next week, in recognition of his efforts to clear the names of those accused of theft and fraud.

He founded the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA) and in 2017 brought a group action in the High Court with 500 others to expose failings with the Post Office’s Horizon accounting system.

Recently knighted Sir Alan, 69, will join students for a ceremony at Coventry Cathedral where he will receive an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws.

“I hadn’t expected this and it was very much a surprise. My other half asked me ‘are you going to accept it?’ and I said ‘I think I will’ as I have turned down an awful lot of things," he said.

“However, this isn’t about me – this is about the group, what has happened and what still needs to happen now.”

The university’s vice chancellor, Professor John Latham, said Sir Alan epitomised the qualities the institution tries to instil in its students – including passion, dedication and determination.

“Sir Alan has spent the last 20 years fighting one of the biggest injustices seen in this country for some time.

“He has done so tirelessly, selflessly and with no desire to take credit for himself – he has simply wanted to do the right thing for hundreds of people who had been wronged,” he said.

“Our students should look at Sir Alan and feel inspired to achieve with the same levels of resilience, leadership and collaboration with others.”