Lambeth Palace talks organiser ‘speechless and angry’ over fallout

An organiser of the controversial Lambeth Palace talks on Troubles legacy issues has robustly rejected claims it was an attempt to “hammer out a deal” behind the backs of terror victims.
Jim RoddyJim Roddy
Jim Roddy

Londonderry businessman Jim Roddy, who along with Rev Harold Good devised the idea for the talks process facilitated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, said terror victims had been caused undue distress by reports that the talks included proposals to make money available for projects linked to both loyalist and republican paramilitary groups.

“I’m speechless and I’m angry,” he said.

Those who reported that “need to take a hard look at themselves,” Mr Roddy told the BBC Radio Talkback programme on Monday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Commenting on the lack of victims’ groups’ representatives around the table, Mr Roddy said that every speaker emphasised the need to make any future process “victims centred”.

Asked to comment on claims this was a “secret” talks process, he said: “I’m saying quite clearly it wasn’t”.

Mr Roddy the Stormont House Agreement has already been made between the two main political parties and both the UK and Irish governments and that the Lambeth Palace talks were not designed to interfere in that process.

Commenting on claims made by a Sinn Fein MLA that Sean ‘Spike’ Murray was there representing Sinn Fein, Mr Roddy said: “Sean was there in a personal capacity.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I don’t think [that claim] was malicious, I think it was inaccurate. Sean was there as a republican and Winston (Irvine) was there as a loyalist”.

Mr Roddy also said that the criticism of Operation Kenova head Jon Boutcher over his attendance is unjustified.

Mr Roddy said Mr Boutcher “spoke with such passion” about the families bereaved by violence and was an important contributor to the debate on legacy.

“Jon Boutcher is a credit to those families,” he said.

“Jon was expressing the hurt and the pain that those families are still feeling.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Orange Order is the latest body to express concern and “growing frustration” over the behind closed doors talks.

The Order’s statement in full:

“Sadly, the innocent victims sector has been ignored by those who organised these talks. This organisation has publicly voiced its disapproval regarding the legacy related content of the Stormont House Agreement. No new secret process to revive those proposals will make them any more palatable to our community.

“339 members of the Orange family were murdered at the hands of terrorists – a sobering statistic equating to 10% of all those who died in the period now somewhat benignly referred to as ‘the Troubles.’

“This latest news is a further insult to those left behind – the true victims, whose voice and wishes should be central to any initiative to bring justice and truth around the death of their loved ones.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“These talks bring further hurt and disbelief to many families throughout Northern Ireland. As we prepare for Christmas, countless local church pews and family dinner tables will have an empty seat – each one serving as an ever-present reminder of community and family tragedies.

“Any process which does not fundamentally address and stop the ongoing attempts to create equivalence between victim and victim-maker, will not command the confidence of those who have been most affected by, and who have been left to deal with, the legacy of terrorism.

“Reconciliation requires truth and justice – but above all, meaningful reconciliation can only begin when there is a full and sincere admission by those involved in the terror campaign that their actions were criminally and morally wrong and wholly unjustified.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor