New Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will 100% not harm veterans, insists minister
The Government is listening to concerns from a "whole range of cap badges" over new legislation on the Troubles, Veterans & People Minister Louise Sandher-Jones has said.
The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill that is currently going through Parliament is designed to replace the controversial Legacy Act that was introduced by the previous government.
Mrs Sandher-Jones said ministers were "discussing what we can do to make those protections [for veterans] as strong as they need to be".
SF community hits out
It follows the exceptionally rare decision by Britain's Special Forces community to speak publicly about the strength of feeling against the Bill.
The SAS Regimental Association has launched Project Verity, a campaign to speak out publicly to protect veterans from legal challenges to their actions decades ago.
The second reading of the Bill last week saw veterans protesting against outside Parliament.
Starmer under fire
Earlier this month nine former four-star military chiefs wrote to the Prime Minister accusing him of undermining the Army’s effectiveness and saying the Bill would create a "national security threat".
The nine signatories included three former chiefs of the general staff, an ex-deputy Nato supreme allied commander and a former chief of the air staff.
But Mrs Sandher-Jones, a former officer in the Intelligence Corps, said she was 100% confident the Bill will not harm veterans.
She said: "There's a lot of conversations going. I and my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence have spoken to a whole range of associations, a whole range of cap badges, services, a whole range of people across the military community to discuss the reasons for why we're doing this.
"The original [Legacy] Act gives blanket immunity to terrorists and stops the investigations into the murders of over 200 British service personnel.
"It is not an act that can stand or that we will let stand, so we are making the changes that we need to do.
"And this is about being able to move forwards, bring accountability for victims and at the same time recognising all those who are trying to rewrite history.
"So we must have these protections for veterans."
We're always listening, says Sandher-Jones
She said the Government would continue to listen to veterans as the Bill was scrutinised by MPs and then the House of Lords.
"We are always listening and always having that dialogue about what we can do to strengthen protections for veterans," she added.
Related topics
Join Our Newsletter
