Boris Johnson has come forward to deliver his legacy and resignation speech — for his personal amnesty

Listening to Boris Johnson outside Number 10 on Thursday delivering his long awaited announcement that he was stepping down as prime minister. and Tory party leader, I couldn’t help thinking that it was a typical example of what will happen if his and Brandon Lewis’s Northern Ireland (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill will be allowed to become law.

Troubles perpetrators will be allowed to come forward and deliver their sanitised version of the truth and be granted immunity – or as I prefer to call it – amnesty.

Boris has finally come forward and delivered his legacy and resignation speech that outlined the bits of his past he wants us to remember but leaves out the parts that would show him to be economical with the truth during his past.

So presumably he considers he has co-operated enough and admitted just enough about his past to be granted an amnesty and all the rest of his past deeds will be swept under the carpet of deceit. No doubt he will go on to write a memoir glorifying his past.

Just like those Troubles perpetrators who can be economical with the truth and be granted an amnesty and will be free to write about and glorify the hurt, pain and grief they inflicted on innocent families and in doing so profit from their heinous crimes.

Cynical as I am in my old age, I also couldn’t help thinking that Brandon Lewis resigned as secretary of state for Northern Ireland at an opportune moment. It seemed perfect that his boss Boris could appoint a replacement and allow Mr Lewis to walk away from the grotesque Legacy and Reconciliation Bill that he has been pushing through despite what victims feel about it.

Troubles victims and their families continue to be treated with contempt.

George Larmour, Author of book about IRA murder of his brother John, ‘They Killed the Ice Cream Man’