Alan Bates (PO scandal) declines invitation to ‘ridiculous’ royal garden party.

He must have been very tempted to tell them precisely what to do with their invitation.

Well done Mr Bates 👏🏻

The finger sandwiches and cakes would have stuck in the poor man's throat. Well done Mr Bates.

Well done 👏

Well done Mr Bates.

Well done Mr Bates.

I don't understand.

The invitations don't come from the government.

Nominations are sent to Lord Lieutenants who then nominate people who have worked hard for their communities, fir charities etc. The Lord Lieutenants then choose from the list of nominees and send the nominations to the Palace who send out invitations.

Obviously someone nominated Alan Bates and Jo Hamilton for the hard work they are doing and continue to do for those affected by the Post Office scandal.

If that is how they feel and wish to make a stand, I can understand that but this is not in the gift of the government.

In fact, you could look on it that the King is showing the government just how he feels about this Post Office scandal by showing his support for Mr Bates and Mrs Hamilton.

Invitations are sent out by the Lord Chamberlain's department.

Here is an extract of a post on X made by Jo Hamilton in response to the invitation she received to the Royal Garden Party.
I suppose the same government department invited/nominated Alan Bates.
Ms Hamilton posted her reply on Twitter/X and tagged Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake, with the comment: "The DBT invited me to a Royal Garden Party . They still don't get it!!! They party on while postmasters wait for the crumbs from their table!!!" She described DBT as "the very department that has prolonged such hardship" among postmasters.
There are many follow up comments including from Hollinrake. Jo Hamilton is extremely angry.
Why have the sub post masters still not received their compensation - it is beyond belief.

Callistemon21

*In fact, you could look on it that the King is showing the government just how he feels about this Post Office scandal by showing his support for Mr Bates and Mrs Hamilton*.

I think you may be correct.

The postmasters weren't invited to the party by the King they were invited by the DBT described by Jo Hamilton as "the very department that has prolonged such hardship among postmasters".
Her point being there has been no recent movement on recompense/compensation yet they issue an invitation to party.
She is VERY angry.

Well done both! Why on earth would they want to go? This whole PO scandal has gone on long enough (more than long enough!), many have died before they could be “cleared”, so many families suffered!

Callistemon21

I don't understand.

The invitations don't come from the government.

Nominations are sent to Lord Lieutenants who then nominate people who have worked hard for their communities, fir charities etc. The Lord Lieutenants then choose from the list of nominees and send the nominations to the Palace who send out invitations.

Obviously someone nominated Alan Bates and Jo Hamilton for the hard work they are doing and continue to do for those affected by the Post Office scandal.

If that is how they feel and wish to make a stand, I can understand that but this is not in the gift of the government.

It is correct and clear in the OP that the postmasters were invited by the Department of Business and Trade, that is their beef.

I do not understand how any government department can invite anyone to a party at the Palace.

The invitations are issued by the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

Someone at the Department of Board and Trade has overstepped the mark if they did so, made itself look extremely stupid, not understanding protocol let alone been insulting to Postmasters and proved they just don't get any of it.

I thought that there were many people and organisations that could nominate citizens for a Royal Garden Party, including government departments. Why would it be overstepping the mark? I imagine many nominees are rejected.

I suppose everyone will now be pointing the finger at the King, presuming that it was he who sent the invitation. As if the poor man hasn't enough on his plate at the moment. Well it wasn't the King, so hopefully that will be made clear.

Callistemon21

I do not understand how any government department can invite anyone to a party at the Palace.

The invitations are issued by the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

Someone at the Department of Board and Trade has overstepped the mark if they did so, made itself look extremely stupid, not understanding protocol let alone been insulting to Postmasters and proved they just don't get any of it.

As the Royal Family website states, an established network of sponsors is used to select invited guests. These include Lord-Lieutenants, Societies and Associations, Government Departments, Local Government, the Services, the Church and other Faiths

Note - 'Government departments'

Jo Hamilton is absolutely clear where her invitation came from, the Department of Business and Trade, she declined their invitation to their email address [email protected]
'Dear Honours Team'
Hollinbrake responded to her on X

Let everyone receive their compensation first & foremost, then people can party how they want!!

Well done Alan Bates,I particularly admire folk who turn down "honours" you know...the ones where the medals are inscribed " For God and Empire " guess no one told them the Empire is long gone and the number of folk who dont believe in Gods is rising daily

OldFrill

Callistemon21

I do not understand how any government department can invite anyone to a party at the Palace.

The invitations are issued by the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

Someone at the Department of Board and Trade has overstepped the mark if they did so, made itself look extremely stupid, not understanding protocol let alone been insulting to Postmasters and proved they just don't get any of it.

As the Royal Family website states, an established network of sponsors is used to select invited guests. These include Lord-Lieutenants, Societies and Associations, Government Departments, Local Government, the Services, the Church and other Faiths

Note - 'Government departments'

Jo Hamilton is absolutely clear where her invitation came from, the Department of Business and Trade, she declined their invitation to their email address [email protected]
'Dear Honours Team'
Hollinbrake responded to her on X

They can nominate but the invitation doesn't come from them.

Usually those receiving the invitation do not know who has nominated them either.

The DBT has messed up completely by the sounds of it. Plonkers.

I should say "They can nominate but the invitation should not come from them".
Still plonkers.