LABOUR is facing a fresh rebellion over plans to scrap legal protections for Northern Ireland veterans — with its own veterans minister on resignation watch.
Ex-Royal Marine Alistair Carns reportedly said he cannot back moves that would reopen prosecutions of British soldiers who served during the Troubles.
Minister for Veterans Alistair Carns reportedly said he cannot back moves that would reopen prosecutions of British soldiers who served in Northern IrelandMichael Schofield, News Group Newspapers Ltd
Mr Carns, awarded the Military Cross, is said to have made his position crystal clear at a packed meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn last week.
It comes as the Government prepares to publish a bill within weeks to repeal the 2023 Legacy Act, which granted conditional immunity from prosecution to veterans and paramilitaries who co-operated with a new information recovery body.
Labour pledged in its manifesto to scrap the law, claiming it denied justice to victims’ families – but critics warn any reversal could trigger a wave of historic prosecutions against British troops.
A Government source told The Times: “There is a huge row brewing.
“Everyone has been left with the impression that this is a resignation matter.”
Hundreds of former servicemen roared into Parliament Square on motorbikes this week in protest, blasting their horns in a deafening show of anger.
A staggering 176,000 Brits have signed a petition urging the government to back off, saying it is morally wrong to drag troops through the courts decades later.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We will always protect our veterans, and we are clear that any process must be proportionate and it must not be malicious, and we will ensure that the right safeguards are in place as we set out a way forward that fixes the issue that we inherited from the previous government.”
GettyLabour is facing a fresh rebellion over plans to scrap legal protections for Northern Ireland veterans (stock picture)[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
