MPs condemn UK’s approach to Troubles ‘legacy cases’

THE UK government’s proposals for tackling Troubles legacy cases in Northern Ireland have been criticised as ‘unilateral and unhelpful’.

In a scathing report, MPs from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee also condemned the government’s lack of consultation with victims’ groups as part of its plans.

MPs were critical of the decision that only Troubles killings with ‘compelling’ new evidence and a realistic prospect of prosecution would be re-investigated. Following an inquiry into the UK government’s handling the Troubles, the committee, in its interim report published yesterday, said there was ‘considerable doubt’ about its approach to historical killings.

In March, Northern Secretary Brandon Lewis said that, after a review, most unsolved cases would be closed and a new law would prevent those inquiries from being reopened. The committee said that decision raises ‘profound legal, ethical and human rights issues’.

Conservative Party MP Simon Hoare, chairman of the committee, said: ‘Who will decide which cases should be closed and how? Can these decisions be appealed? What’s the definition of “new compelling evidence”, and who will decide that?

‘We’d expected those questions and others to be answered in the usual way in written and/or oral evidence, but the government failed to provide any such evidence. We urge the UK government to urgently provide this evidence and invite the Irish Government to do the same to help clarify the situation for victims.’