Former SAS soldier tells Reform rally that the situation facing Northern Ireland veterans is 'diabolical'
A Reform rally has been told that the situation facing Operation Banner soldiers is “unjust and diabolical”.
The comments came from former SAS soldier Matt Hellyer, president of Veterans for Reform.
It followed the revelation that Reform plans to “legislate for a statutory bar to end current and prohibit future proceedings against British veterans for historical conduct” according to The Telegraph, quoting a Reform policy document it has had sight of.
The Telegraph also reported that a Reform government would “pardon old convictions”.
According to the most recent poll from Ipsos (dating from November), some 33% of those who intend to vote at the next general election would choose Reform, followed by Labour on 18% and the Tories on 16%.
Mr Hellyer was speaking at a gathering launching Veterans for Reform this afternoon, telling the audience (some of whom held up a flag calling for “justice for Northern Ireland veterans”): “What is key at the moment and what is in the news is the prosecution of veterans, especially Op Banner.
"I served four tours in Northern Ireland, and I understand what it means and the complex cases that we face.
"On my second tour in Northern Ireland, my patrol was hit by a pressure pad, and one of my members lost both legs in Cappagh, in east Tyrone.
"I was on the point that day, and I put the tourniquets on his legs [to] hopefully give him a future and save his life.
"Now it's me and it's my friends that are in the dock.
"We're not getting prosecuted yet.
"These are civil cases that should not have even got to court.
"These cases need to be quashed. They need to be quashed.
"And we've seen the leader of this party put out a huge statement that prosecutions for military veterans will be pardoned.
"But it's also the ongoing cases that we will look at, and we will put in a robust law to ensure that you guys do not have to face a law court, a civil court, because you know what you faced.
"You done what you were told… I mean that you followed the rules of engagement.”
He went on to add: “We need to take the state to court. Don't take the individual.
"You don't take a private soldier from 1 Queen’s on his tour in 1972."
He also said: “This party is the only party to make the bold statements.
"We must get behind veterans reform. We must have your voice and we must have your vote if you want things to change.”