A Conservative government would restore full legal protections for Northern Ireland veterans and would stop figures such as Gerry Adams from pursuing taxpayer funded compensation claims.
The announcement, made by Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge today at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester today is indeed to shield veterans from claims made against them in their later years.
Conservatives argue such claims reopen deep anxiety for veterans, and see veterans treated as suspects, instead of those who defended the United Kingdom in an extraordinarily difficult operational environment.
“If new laws are required to give legal certainty on overseas operations, we will pass those laws,” said Mr Cartlidge, as he confirmed that only by leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), can these new protections be delivered whilst remaining fully compliant with international laws.
He add: “If Labour repeal our Legacy Act, we will legislate to restore full legal protection for our veterans. Whatever it takes, you have my word, we will protect those who protected us.”
Former soldier, Paul Young, the spokesman for the Northern Ireland Veterans Movement said that the “Labour government’s repeal of the Legacy Act is viewed by veterans as a betrayal,” saying that it “reopens the door to legacy inquests and civil claims, placing veterans back into a system they see as adversarial, inconsistent, and weaponised against them.”
More than 200,000 people have signed a petition against the Government’s plans to rip up protections afforded to Northern Ireland Veterans. Labour is repealing swathes of the previous Conservative Government’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act.
These include provisions on conditional amnesty and the ban on inquests and civil actions related to Troubles-era incidents. Labour has also not appointed a veterans’ minister with access to the Cabinet
The Ministry of Defence was approached for comment.