we have all been removed by the too. we have all been removed by the stories of postmasters who have been unjustly affected, and the two decades of effect on their finances, health and relationships. indeed, we have seen whole lives ruined by this brutal and arbitrary exercise of power. hundreds of convictions remain excellent. some of those convictions will have arrived on the evidence of the discredited horizon system. others will have been the result of appalling failure is of the post office's investigations and prosecution functions. the evidence already emerging from sir william's inquiry is not only showing incompetence but malevolence and some of their actions. this is evidence that was not available to the courts that was —— when they made their decisions on some of the

cases. here's labour's shadowjustice secretary, jonathan reynolds. this has left the public outraged at the injustice. we believe the horizon scandal to be one of the greatest miscarriages ofjustice in british history, where people lost their lives, and then, when trying to find justice, were delayed at every turn. it is unconscionable that despite the larne lough legal rulings, several people have not been able to access the conversation they are entitled to. —— landmark crete legal rulings. we are united in wanting to see them exonerated in full and to receive compensation with urgency. it is important to say exoneration and not a pardon, because a pardon implies guilt that is forgiven. we recognise that doing so is not straightforward. it may be imperfect. it is an unprecedented scandal, and it will require an

unprecedented response. live now to our political correspondent, harry farley. the government has gone down the route of this law to overturn the convictions. it is a huge move, isn't it? it convictions. it is a huge move, isn't it? , , ., , isn't it? it is. it is really difficult _ isn't it? it is. it is really difficult to _ isn't it? it is. it is really difficult to overstate - isn't it? it is. it is reallyl difficult to overstate how significant this is. this is the government, the politicians and the house of commons overturning and intervening in matters of the criminal courts, which in the uk, courts are independent from the government. this is the government say they will introduce a new law, a new bill, to overturn convictions reached in the criminal courts. we've been hearing in the last few moments from rishi sunak�*s spokesman, from downing street, and they say this bill will overturn those convictions on a blanket basis. they say they are doing that because to allow individual claims would take too long. they say this as exceptional circumstances, and it demands an exceptional response. in terms of the timing, this is a

complicated issue, it is a complicated issue, it is a complicated bill. the prime minister's spokesman say they hope to bring through by the end of this year. as i said, they really see this as an issue of priority, and they're hoping to do this as soon as they're hoping to do this as soon as they possibly can. find they're hoping to do this as soon as they possibly can-— they possibly can. and they will get all of those — they possibly can. and they will get all of those to _ they possibly can. and they will get all of those to sign _ they possibly can. and they will get all of those to sign a _ they possibly can. and they will get all of those to sign a document - all of those to sign a document saying they did not commit fraud? yes, one of the concerns that government ministers and mps have expressed is that if you introduce a bill that mass overturns clinical convictions, there is a risk that in and among the hundreds of convictions, there are a few that were generally guilty —— genuinely guilty. you would be handing hundreds of thousands of pounds to compensation to people who were themselves guilty. kevin hollinrake said that was a concern, but he thought it was more pressing to allow those who are innocent, the vast majority who are innocent, to claim compensation as quickly as

they can. the way they are trying to mitigate that is by asking everyone, every sub—postmaster who does have criminal conviction overturned to sign a document to reinstate that they are innocent, and that allows anyone who is in fact guilty design that document, they could potentially be prosecuted for fraud. that is our safeguard in their two mitigate the fact that there is concern that this could, this route could potentially allow a handful who are guilty to be exonerated in handed compensation. it is who are guilty to be exonerated in handed compensation.— who are guilty to be exonerated in handed compensation. it is not going to be easy whatever _ handed compensation. it is not going to be easy whatever they _ handed compensation. it is not going to be easy whatever they do, - handed compensation. it is not going to be easy whatever they do, it - handed compensation. it is not going to be easy whatever they do, it is - to be easy whatever they do, it is not going to be quick, as it? it is not, but this _ not going to be quick, as it? it is not, but this is _ not going to be quick, as it? it is not, but this is far _ not going to be quick, as it? it 3 not, but this is far quicker than allowing individual claims to go the normal route, as it were, to go to the criminal cases review commission, which should then set individual cases to the court of appeal. this will be quick, but it will be a lot quicker than the

alternative, and it is worth taking alternative, and it is worth taking a step back, as it were, and restating just how unprecedented, how extraordinary this is for a government bill to overturn hundreds of criminal convictions reached in the courts, which, as we say, are independent from parliament. thank ou ve independent from parliament. thank you very much _ independent from parliament. thank you very much for — independent from parliament. thank you very much forjoining _ independent from parliament. thank you very much forjoining us. - chris head is a former sub postmaster. he was one of hundreds of people across the uk wrongly accused of theft and fraud. he gave us his reaction to rishi sunak announcing this new law. it is fabulous news for those people. we couldn't continue down the processes we are using, because the processes we are using, because the justice ministers the processes we are using, because thejustice ministers were not able to cope with the vast number of people. we are talking over 900 convictions, and had we continued at the current rate, we were looking at ten or 15 years to get them overturned stop they might not be allowed to see that happen. the fact

they are bringing in emergency legislation in order to deliver that, that helps unblock their compensation as well.- that, that helps unblock their compensation as well. news on the compensation. _ compensation as well. news on the compensation, they _ compensation as well. news on the compensation, they say _ compensation as well. news on the compensation, they say they - compensation as well. news on the compensation, they say they will i compensation as well. news on the | compensation, they say they will be an upfront payment of £75,000 for a vital group of postmasters that took the action? , ., vital group of postmasters that took the action? , . ., ., , the action? yes, i am in that group. we had a small— the action? yes, i am in that group. we had a small amount _ the action? yes, i am in that group. we had a small amount after - the action? yes, i am in that group. we had a small amount after the i we had a small amount after the court case in 2019, a tiny top up again in 2022, so the amounts are coming in drips and drabs. i am one of the complex cases that has a full claim internet scheme, and they are still litigating and fighting every part of that claim. we need a commitment that they will deliver on that promise to restore postmasters back to the position they would have been in, not this half—hearted approach where it is a little bit here, a little bit there. we need some kind of commitment. that is

less than 15% of the claim. we are 1 million miles apart still. we need to see a lot more on that. it's hard to imagine the personal suffering of the victims of this post office scandal. some of it came out in that itv drama. bbc breakfast gathered a group of the sub—postmasters involved together this morning. here's some more of their stories. i'm tom hedges. i ran a post office at hogsthorpe, which is about eight miles outside skegness. i was there for 16 years until i was dismissed in 2009 and convicted in court in 2010. i had to wait a number of years until 2021, when my conviction was overturned, and frankly, it wrecked my life, my family's life and everybody i know�*s life.

it was the most horrendous thing i have ever been through. i was very lucky in one way. i didn't go bankrupt like a lot of the other people. and ijust feel very privileged to sit here this morning and address the nation because of the wonderful tv show that itv have produced. it seems a weird thing to say on the bbc, but there we go. i do feel that the story has dragged us right onto the very top of the media agenda, and i'm very, very pleased that that's the case. maria? hi. my name is maria. i'm from huddersfield. this is the first time i've ever felt strong enough to speak to anyone about what's happened. my contract, they terminated my contract after i paid back more than £30,000 back to them.

30,000? yeah. alison. my name is alison hall. i run a post office in hightown liversedge, west yorkshire, until i was suspended in 2010 of a shortfall of nearly £15,000. i admitted to a false accounting charge, but it was overturned three years ago. that's it. we'll give you time as the programme goes on. my name is mohammed rasul. i worked for the post office for 27 years, and then i was convicted of false accounting. i had to wear a tag for three months and had a suspended sentence for 12 months. i have carried the shame ever since. i refuse to carry it any longer. my name isjanet skinner. i worked for the post office - from 1994 until i was suspended in 2006 for shortfall of £59,000.

i i was given a nine—month custodiall sentence, so three months in prison and the rest on home curfew. it's affected everything i of my life going forward for the past 16 years. my name is scott darlington. i ran alderley edge post office for four years from 2005. i was suspended in 2009, convicted in 2010. i couldn't get a job for three and a half years after that. i couldn't afford to pay for my daughter's school uniform. i suffered awful stigma and embarrassment and financial distress ever since. and i'm glad that things have come to a head and we're able to speak about it now. my name is varchas patel. i'm here on behalf of my father, vipin patel of oxford. he was wrongfully prosecuted

by post office ltd in 2011 and his health is completely shattered. it's only going to get worse, and he's not yet to receive compensation. my name is tim brentall. iran a post office in pembrokeshire from 2005 until a shortfall was found in late 2009, which i was forced to pay back some £22,500. i was then prosecuted for false accounting until my conviction was quashed in 2001. my life was left in tatters, and my customers and villagers thought i was a fraud. some of the sub—postmasters talking on bbc breakfast. now it's time for a look at the weather, with stav. hello there. this cold fine settled spell of weather is continuing today.

the best of the sunshine, i think, across more southern parts of the country. but here again, we have more of that easterly breeze taking the edge off the temperatures. further north, a bit more cloud around. big area of high pressure dominating the scene around it. we're getting some clouds in off the north sea that's affecting northeastern parts of the country. so this is where we're seeing the cloudier skies through the rest of today. north and east scotland and eastern england may be thick enough for the odd spots of light, rain or drizzle. light rain or drizzle. a little bit of weakness over the high ground. best the sunshine, southern southeast england. some glimmers of brightness for western wales, northern ireland and also western scotland. temperature wise, maybe degree up on yesterday, highs of six oi’ seven degrees. factor in the wind though, it'll feel much colder than that. as we head through tonight, it stays cloudy across some northern and eastern areas where skies are clear, though. central scotland, southern southeast england will see some of the lowest temperatures, perhaps down to minus four, minus five celsius in central scotland. similar values towards

the southeast, but less cold where we have the cloud. but mist and fog could also be a problem where the skies are clear. so for thursday, similar story again. most of the cloud will be towards eastern areas where the odd spots of drizzle, southern and western parts seeing the best of the sunshine. scotland doing pretty well with this sunshine i think, through thursday afternoon. the temperatures a little less cold again, up to eight degrees. so a degree or so above what we've had earlier in the week. it's still cold but less cold. friday then, probably the best of the sunshine across scotland, some sunshine developing for northern ireland. elsewhere, it stays cloudy and rather gloomy i think for large parts of england and wales. maybe some brightness western wales, south west, england and again temperatures up to around eight degrees. it's all change though as we head into the weekend, although there'll still be some sunshine in the south. we'll see these cold fronts spreading southwards behind it. arctic air flood southwards, though it will be turning colder with increasing snow showers certainly affecting northern scotland.

the northern isles, accumulations will be increasing. further south, a better chance of staying drier with some sunshine, but it will be cold for all into next week. it stays cold for the sunshine and snow showers. and then there's a risk of some more widespread, perhaps disruptive snow around the middle part of next week. so stay tuned. you're watching bbc news. i'm nicky schiller. we're bringing you more coverage on the breaking news this lunchtime on the post office scandal. rishi sunak used prime minister's questions to annouce that the government is to introduce a new law to make sure that those convicted are swiftly exonerated and compensated. the government had been under intense pressure to act following the itv drama last week. between 1999 and 2015,

the post office prosecuted 736 sub—postmasters and mistresses based on the faulty horizon it system.. here is our political correspondent ian watson. the post office told us over and over, "you're the only one." that was a lie, actually. itv made a drama out of a crisis, a scandal that started more than 20 years ago came to public and political prominence. fewer than 100 sub—postmasters have had their wrongful convictions overturned and there's pressure to clear more names and pay out more compensation. the prime minister said there had been an appalling miscarriage of justice. there has been a flurry of meetings this week and finally today, an announcement. i can announce that we will introduce new primary legislation to make sure that those convicted as a result of the horizon