Military charities call on PM to honour pledge to hold debate on LGBT+ compensation
Military charities have signed an open letter calling on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to honour a promise to hold a parliamentary debate on the best way to make reparations to LGBT+ veterans.
The letter is co-signed by Fighting With Pride, The Royal British Legion, Help For Heroes, the Women's Royal Army Corps Association and Age UK.
It says the Government must stick to its commitment to hold a full debate in the Commons to "bring an end to the shame and dishonour" LGBT+ veterans have endured.
Until the year 2000, no one could be openly gay in the Armed Forces and if someone was found out they risked dismissal, disgrace and in many cases financial ruin.
Fighting With Pride said around 86% of LGBT+ veterans felt their dismissal for their sexual orientation or gender identity had affected their mental health.
The letter says: "The Government must ensure these veterans are not let down again."
An independent review led by Lord Etherton, a former master of the rolls and head of civil justice, heard about the experiences of 1,145 veterans who served between 1967 and 2000.
It found that there had been an "incomprehensible policy of homophobic bigotry" in the Armed Forces with veterans being subjected to homophobia, bullying, blackmail, sexual assaults, "disgraceful" medical examinations and conversion therapy.
In July, after the Government-commissioned review was published, Mr Sunak apologised for the "horrific" historical treatment of LGBT people who served in the Armed Forces.
And Ben Wallace, the defence secretary at the time, said he was "deeply sorry" on behalf of the Government and the military.
But it now appears the expected follow-on debate will be replaced by just a statement to the Commons.
'Unacceptable act of erasure'
"In denying LGBT veterans the promised Parliamentary debate the Government is failing to match their courage - this is an unacceptable act of erasure," Fighting With Pride said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The open letter pointed out that as part of the Government's response to the Etherton Review, a debate in Parliament had been promised.
"It has now been confirmed that this debate will not take place," it said.
"The Government must honour its commitment to a full debate in the Commons. We are grateful to the Scottish Parliament for the debate planned at Holyrood on 13 December."
The Etherton review recommended a limit of £50m in compensation, something Fighting With Pride and the other signatories want lifted.
The letter adds: "If we are to realise this Government's ambition to be the 'best place in the world to be a veteran' and a 'global exemplar in LGBT rights' then our veterans must feel a sense of justice and experience the security and comfort in older age that we would wish for all veterans.
"Remove the cap and agree to fair compensation for those affected by the illegal and cruel 'gay ban'."
A Government spokesperson said: "We are proud of our LGBT veterans and grateful for their service in defence of our nation.
"The treatment of LGBT serving personnel pre-2000 was wholly unacceptable and does not reflect today's Armed Forces.
"We have accepted in principle the vast majority of the Etherton report's recommendations. Many of the recommendations are complex and it is vital that the government carefully considers their delivery to ensure the best outcomes for those affected.
"Responding to the LGBT Veterans Independent Review and delivering its recommendations remains a high priority and further detail on the delivery of recommendations will be included in our full response, which will be published shortly."
The Open Letter
Dear Prime Minister,
Justice For LGBT+ Armed Forces Veterans
In your apology on behalf of the British Nation in Parliament on 19th July, you described the 'gay ban' as an appalling failure of the British State and you said that many service personnel endured horrific sexual abuse and violence, bullying and harassment, all while bravely serving this country.
The Fighting With Pride LGBT+ Veterans Coalition writes to you as a broad coalition of military and LGBT+ charities and organisations to urge that in response to Lord Etherton's LGBT Veterans Independent Review Final Report, the Government must ensure these veterans are not let down again.
We urge you to:
-As part of the Government response to the Etherton Review, a debate in Parliament was promised by the Secretary of State for Defence. It has now been confirmed that this debate will not take place. The Government must honour its commitment to a full debate in the Commons. We are grateful to the Scottish Parliament for the debate planned at Holyrood on 13th December.
-Disregard the LGBT Veterans Independent Review's recommendation for a £50M cap upon financial awards, a stricture compelled by terms of reference that stated the Review should not 'recommend new compensation schemes, that are unconstrained'.
-Put in place a compensation scheme which fully recognises the disadvantage and injury LGBT+ Veterans have suffered. The LGBT Veterans Independent Review found that these veterans have been treated with shocking cruelty.
We consider that: -This arbitrary cap was set without knowledge of the number of veterans affected, and the nature of their losses or injuries they faced.
-The cap provides a perverse incentive for the MOD to limit the number of people coming forward to attest to the impact of the 'gay ban'. This directly opposes the policy aim to achieve fair recompense for those harmed.
-The scheme means that veterans will receive lower payouts than those who pursued individual court action, this is unfair.
-There are better ways to protect the public purse than a cap. Tariffs and categories must be agreed which can expedite the administration of the scheme and this scheme must be a 'spend out' fund
-The implementation of the cap would be hard to manage. In the 24-month period in which applications are to be considered, the last applications may well justify the highest compensation. How will this be managed if the scheme has by then 'paid out'?
-The compensation scheme must be implemented quickly for this ageing community of veterans who have been abandoned while experiencing ill health, housing crisis, financial impoverishment, loneliness, isolation and shame for decades.
We call upon the Government to recognise this once-in-a-lifetime moment to bring an end to the shame and dishonour imposed upon these veterans. If we are to realise this Government's ambition to be the 'best place in the world to be a veteran' and a 'global exemplar in LGBT rights' then our veterans must feel a sense of justice and experience the security and comfort in older age that we would wish for all veterans.
Remove the cap and agree on fair compensation for those affected by the illegal and cruel 'gay ban'.
Yours sincerely,
The Fighting With Pride LGBT+ Veterans Coalition Craig Jones
MBE Executive Chair, Fighting With Pride Caroline Paige Chief Executive, Fighting With Pride
Charles Byrne, Director General The Royal British Legion
Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Gregory KBE CB DL
Catherine Dixon, Chair - Stonewall
Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive - LGBT Foundation
Paula Rogers, Chief Executive - Women's Royal Army Corps Association
James Needham, Chief Executive - Help for Heroes
Paul Farmer CBE, Chief Executive - Age UK
Emma Norton, Chief Executive - Centre For Military Justice
Paula Edwards, Chief Executive - Salute Her
Tony Wright, Chief Executive - Combat Stress
Frank Gribben - Unforgotten Forces Scotland and Age Scotland
Alun Thomas, Chief Executive - Adferiad Wales
Rt Hon Grant Schapps MP, Secretary of State for Defence
Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP, Cabinet Office Minister for Veterans
Rt Hon Dr Andrew Murrison MP, Minister Defence People, Veterans and Service Families
Join Our Newsletter
