In around two weeks a petition to “Protect Northern Ireland Veterans From Prosecution” has gathered 132,046 signatures. It comes in response to Labour’s plan to alter the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 in order to completely scrap legal protections for veterans who were involved in British Army operations in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007. Sections of the act also line up Gerry Adams and IRA suspects for taxpayer-funded compensation…
The government issued a response to the petition last night which claims “legacy mechanisms need to be human rights compliant and be able to command support and confidence across communities” because the Legacy Act was challenged in the courts. Challenges which are not being appealed by this government…
Labour adds that NI secretary Hilary Benn will “continue to discuss this issue with all interested parties” as the government “prepares new legislation.” Shadow defence minister Mark Francois – who is campaigning on the issue – says this is baloney…
Francois tells Guido:
“The Government’s response reeks of hypocrisy. It states the the NI Legacy Act 2023, which now helps protect our Veterans, has been found ‘unlawful’ even though they could have appealed those judgements – but deliberately didn’t. Moreover, it talks about providing ‘legal support’ to Veterans being prosecuted, rather than seeking to stop the process, as the 132,000 petitioners (so far) requested. When Labour talk about ‘legal support’ what they really mean is providing a personal lawyer to help Gerry Adams sue the British taxpayer – including Lord Hermer, now Labour’s Attorney General. Veterans will, rightly, be absolutely appalled at this.”
Hermer of course represented Adams in 2023 when he was being sued by victims of three IRA attacks – something Robert Jenrick has taken pains to flag this week. Rule by Labour lawyers going as expected…
The petition has not yet been assigned a debate day in parliament – it won’t for a few weeks. Time for that number to rise…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”