NI Troubles Bill: What we know about controversial legislation after MP vote
MPs have voted to transfer the government's controversial Northern Ireland Troubles Bill to the next parliament by a majority of 279 to 176.
The bill was designed to repeal and replace the contentious Legacy Act introduced by the previous Conservative government, ending the immunity scheme brought in under the law, which was ruled unlawful by the courts.
Almost 100 veterans protested in Parliament Square in central London ahead of the vote in Parliament.
The government says the bill includes protections for veterans such as no repeated investigations, no cold-calling, a requirement to consider the age and welfare of veterans, and the ability to give evidence remotely and anonymously.
However, it remains subject to fierce criticism. Ahead of the vote on Monday, Special Forces veterans associations wrote to MPs asking them to vote against or abstain on carrying over the bill, saying it is unfit for purpose, according to the Telegraph.
The vote passed by a majority of 103.
What have veterans said?
Veterans and the SAS Regimental Association say that, as it stands, there is nothing to halt vexatious prosecutions against the Armed Forces community.
In November 2025, following the vote on the second reading of the bill in the House of Commons, the SAS Regimental Association's secretary spoke to BFBS Forces News' Rosie Laydon about the strength of feeling that the proposed changes have caused to Special Forces veterans.
They unveiled Project Verity, a new nationwide campaign launched by veterans of the Special Air Service, Special Boat Service and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, which seeks to educate parliamentarians and the public on Special Forces activities during the Troubles.
"We have never said where wrongdoing is suspected, or there is evidence that, you know, nobody is trying to dodge their responsibility. That's not the case here," the secretary told BFBS Forces News.
"What... we find galling as service personnel that the balance in the Northern Ireland Troubles Act as is, is always more towards IRA, Sinn Fein sensitivities rather than sensitivities and the needs of the veterans."
Also in November 2025, nine former four-star military chiefs wrote to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, 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.
What has Armed Forces Minister and veteran Al Carns said about the bill?
Armed Forces minister Al Carns, the most senior veteran in government, missed the vote on carrying over the bill as he was reportedly away visiting troops in the Gulf.
The former colonel in the Royal Marines was accused in November 2025 of putting his career ahead of his fellow veterans, when a Special Forces veteran, known only as Soldier Z, said in a letter that Mr Carns had provided "continuous and disingenuous reassurance" to those that served in Northern Ireland.
The Birmingham Selly Oak MP defended his record, saying at the time: "We promised our veterans who served with honour in Northern Ireland that we would put proper protections in place, and our legislation delivers on that commitment.
"After the false promises of the last government, we are putting in place six real, workable protections for veterans that the failed Legacy Act never did. We will not allow the process, like so many times before, to become the punishment for our veterans.
"Having served for 24 years and as a serving reservist myself, I understand the importance of avoiding an endless cycle of investigations.
"These robust safeguards will ensure the rights of those who served their nation so honourably are protected whilst providing families with a fair and transparent system to seek answers."
In January this year, Mr Carns also said there was no evidence the bill had affected recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces.
The Troubles Bill timeline
September 2023: The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act received Royal Assent, introducing a new legacy framework and a conditional immunity scheme tied to cooperation with a truth recovery process.
February 2024: The High Court in Belfast ruled parts of the act were incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. The then-Conservative government began appealing the decision, but Labour ministers dropped the appeal after the 2024 general election.
July 2025: Hundreds of veterans voice their concerns about the bill outside Parliament to coincide with a Westminster Hall debate triggered by a petition asking for the government to reconsider the repeal of the Legacy Act.
November 2025: Northern Ireland Troubles Bill second reading voted through in the House of Commons.
November 2025: Veterans of the Special Air Service, Special Boat Service and Special Reconnaissance Regiment launch Project Verity. The campaign speaks out publicly to protect veterans from legal challenges based on their actions decades ago.
January 2026: MPs voted to remove the conditional immunity measure and lift the bar on future civil claims through a remedial order, which now needs approval in the House of Lords.
April 2026: Nearly 100 veterans protest outside Parliament ahead of a carry-over motion vote on the Troubles Bill in the House of Commons, which passes by a majority of 103.
Armed Forces minister Al Carns controversially misses the vote to reportedly visit troops deployed in the Gulf who are working on defensive missions.
Additional reporting by Sian Grzeszczyk Melbourne and Rosie Laydon.
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