A former Computer Weekly journalist who helped kick off the title’s reporting on the Post Office scandal has been recognised in the King’s New Year honours list for 2025.
Rebecca Thomson has been awarded an OBE for services to justice because of her early work on the scandal that saw hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly prosecuted because of the Horizon IT system.
Computer Weekly won the Campaign of the Year prize at the British Journalism Awards last month in recognition of its 15-year long reporting on the Post Office scandal.
The judges said: “Sometimes, campaigning journalism takes time to have an impact. For this title it has taken 15 years and 450 stories. They prove that you don’t have to be big to make a massive impact and have led the way on one of the biggest stories of the century so far, playing a crucial role in finally securing justice for victims.”
The story finally received widespread public attention – and anger – last year after ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office proved a massive hit. Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government subsequently introduced legislation to quash hundreds of Horizon convictions and Keir Starmer’s Labour government has since announced multiple compensation schemes.
Computer Weekly published the first investigation into Horizon in 2009 after Thomson carried out a year-long investigation.
She left the title soon afterwards but later continued covering the story during the public inquiry, which began in 2020.
Several of the key subpostmaster campaigners were also recognised in the Honours list for their part raising awareness of the scandal.
Thomson wrote on Linkedin that she was “extremely surprised and grateful to have been included on the New Year’s Honours List with an OBE for the work I did on breaking the Post Office scandal story before Karl Flinders picked up the mantle.
“I’m particularly glad the postmasters Lee Castleton, Jo Hamilton, Seema Misra and Chris Head continue to get the recognition they deserve, as well as Kay Linnell who supported them throughout.
“I’m still grateful for the support I had from ComputerWeekly.com editors at the time to get that first story published, because it wasn’t easy. Especially Tony Collins who was and continues to be an inspiration!
“The postmasters have said that the fight goes on when it comes to financial redress – hopefully 2025 will bring some more positive news on that front, because they deserve it.”
Also recognised in the New Year Honours 2025:
Three BBC journalists were recognised in the King’s New Year Honours 2025.
Peter Taylor was awarded a CBE for services to journalism and to public service broadcasting. The long-time BBC journalist and documentary-maker, who previously received an OBE in 2002, is known for his reporting on Northern Ireland and the Troubles as well as his work on Al-Qaeda after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Jackie Bird, whose full name is Jacqueline Weir, has been awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and charities in Scotland. She presented the BBC’s Reporting Scotland programme for 30 years before stepping down in 2019, after which she became president of the National Trust for Scotland. She has also led BBC Scotland’s Children In Need show for years.
And Eric Thirer, former BBC cameraman and journalist, received an MBE for services to international broadcasting. Thirer’s notable work included watching alongside his long-time colleague Brian Barron as the last helicopter left the roof of the US Embassy in Saigon in 1975.
Finally, food journalist Beatrice Wilson, known as Bee, received an MBE for services to food writing and food education. Her work currently includes writing the Table Talk column for the Wall Street Journal and previously she has written regularly for The Sunday Telegraph and The New Statesman. She also co-founded food education charity TastEd.
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