Labour’s Troubles bill aims to protect veterans from vexatious claims
The UK government has unveiled changes to its Northern Ireland Troubles legacy bill, aiming to shield veterans from what ministers describe as unfair reinvestigations. Chris Bryant, the Northern Ireland secretary, and Wes Streeting, the defence secretary, set out the amendments in a joint article for The Times.
Key amendments to the bill
The bill, which replaces the previous Conservative government’s legislation, had been widely criticised in Northern Ireland. The earlier law offered immunity to both terrorists and armed forces members accused of Troubles-era crimes if they cooperated with the Legacy Commission, a body seeking truth about unsolved murders. Bryant and Streeting said that approach was abhorrent and should never have been considered.
Under the new bill, the attorney general must approve any prosecution for serious Troubles-related crimes. The ministers argue this will reduce the risk of vexatious investigations against retired soldiers. Veterans will not be forced to travel to Northern Ireland for hearings, and witnesses can only be contacted if there is compelling new evidence. Past investigative processes will not be duplicated unless essential.
Bryant and Streeting stressed the importance of the changes for military families. “More than a quarter of the families seeking answers from the Legacy Commission are veterans’ families. Nearly one in five are the families of police officers. No one should be in any doubt how important this is,” they wrote. They said they had listened to veterans, victims’ groups, and the wider defence community over recent months.
The ministers said the bill aims to deliver as many answers as possible while helping communities heal. “By setting up a fair, workable system to deliver as many answers as possible, we will help communities to heal so that we can finally turn the page on one of the darkest periods in our recent history,” they wrote. The bill is subject to a carry-over procedure, with MPs expected to pass a motion allowing more time for its consideration.
