Labour urged to rebalance legacy landscape if Tory legislation is repealed
The new Labour government is being urged to act on its pre-election pledge to repeal the controversial Troubles legacy legislation introduced by Tory ministers.
The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill 2023 includes a conditional amnesty, under certain circumstances, for people involved in Troubles-era crimes, and also blocks future inquests and civil actions related to the Troubles.
Prior to the general election, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had expressed concerns about the legislation – with the party’s election manifesto including a commitment to “repeal and replace” the bill.
Kenny Donaldson of victims’ group SEFF said they will be putting proposals before the government in an effort to ensure that whatever replaces the legislation provides “pathways to justice, truth and accountability” for all victims and survivors, and not just those “seeking redress from the state”.
He said: "We need to start dealing in facts. The coronial inquest queue of cases is predominantly comprised of terrorists seeking redress from the state, and also those victimised by loyalists but who assert involvement from state agencies.
"The civil litigation process is all but closed off to the victims of Provisional IRA terrorism. so the key question will be; ‘what is the new Labour government proposing around meeting this deficit?’”
One of the key proposals being put forward by SEFF is the “necessity for committed long-term funding to support the treatment of victims/survivors… and the Regional Trauma Network must be empowered to deliver tangible improvements for victims/survivors”.