Mr Bates vs. The Post Office

A brilliant portrayal by Toby Jones, and a magnificent exposé of an appalling episode in British public life, one which has yet to be brought to a satisfactory conclusion, and probably never will.

We live in Australia, where of two recent Royal Commissions, one uncovered massive wrongdoing by the banks, which resulted in many ordinary people losing their homes and their life savings, and more recently a flawed computer system called 'Robodebt' punished hundreds of thousands of innocent and vulnerable people, and led to several suicides. But were these ever made right? Well, tragically you can't ever undo the suicides, but did people ever get back what they lost, and were the guilty ever punished?

Of course not! Don't be so silly!!!!

The guilty were bankers in case one and politicians and senior civil servants in case two. Not a single one was ever charged with a crime, let alone convicted. No banker ever did time, nor did any politician. You see, they and Paula Vennells belong to a different class from us, a privileged class for whom the law simply does not apply. They live their lives of luxury, draw their enormous bonuses, and eventually retire with huge hand-outs, while we all struggle down in the mire.

My prediction is that Sunak will say that it is not within his power to rescind the CBE of Vennells, and that it would not be "in the public interest" for her to be prosecuted and sent to jail for all she has done.

Nothing to see here, just let's move on.

That innocent postmasters did jail time, and some were driven to suicide, was just collateral damage in setting up a new 21st century digital post office, and Vennells will no doubt still be praised to the sky for all her wonderful achievements in doing so.

People in Britain were once ruled by feudal aristocrats and royals. Now they are ruled by feudal politicians and executives. Not a lot has changed in all these centuries.

This is not really a review, but it's hard to write one while feeling so angry.

So here's the review. Brilliantly acted, very tight script and screenplay to fit so many years into four episodes. Toby Jones for a top award.

10/10, and deserves 20/10.