The Government has broken its silence after Sir Keir Starmer was accused of showing a “heartbreaking” lack of interest in the victims of IRA terrorism.
Victims of IRA violence expressed their “severe disappointment” with the Prime Minister during a commemoration event on the 29th anniversary of the 1996 London Docklands bombing.
Two people – Inam Bashir and John Jeffries – were killed in the blast, with 42 people injured.
Former Libyan despot Muammar Gaddafi armed the IRA with powerful Semtex plastic explosives, which the terrorists used in the atrocity.
Other IRA incidents, including the 1983 Harrods attack, the Remembrance Day ceremony bombing in Enniskillen in 1987, and the Warrington bombing in 1993 also used Gaddafi-supplied Semtex.
Victims of the violence want the Libyan government to pay out. However, in the absence of compensation, they want the UK Government to spend billions of pounds worth of Libyan assets frozen in 2011.
The Docklands Victims’ Association (DVA) said that while he was in opposition, Sir Keir assured them in writing that he would support their campaign.
However, they said that after the PM took office, he blanked their letters asking for him to demand compensation from Libya.
Now, a UK government spokesman has said: “The UK Government has profound sympathy for UK victims of Qaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, and indeed all victims of the Troubles.
“We will continue to press the Libyan authorities to address the Libyan state’s historic responsibility for the Qaddafi regime’s support for the IRA.”
Previously, the DVA said: “Sadly, the Prime Minister has not replied to any of the victim’s letters from the DVA members.
“It is heartbreaking as it appears he has ignored our letters.
“Due to the lack of correspondence from our Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the victims and their families felt saddened and forgotten as he appears unwilling to respond to the victims and their families.
“The Prime Minister’s apparent lack of concern and recognition for his victims of terrorism is heartbreaking.”
