Sir Alan Bates has criticized government officials, referring to them as "flimflam artists," for the prolonged delays in providing financial compensation to victims of the Horizon scandal. As a prominent campaigner for the Post Office, Bates expressed his frustration over the slow progress in delivering justice and redress to those affected by the scandal. He believes that the lack of urgency and accountability from the government is hindering the resolution of this issue, leaving many victims in a state of uncertainty.