STOP THE WITCH HUNT!
MPs demand legal protection for soldiers who served in Ulster Troubles
A THIRD of Conservative MPs – including a former defence secretary – have written to Theresa May to demand an end to “legal witch hunts” of military veterans.
Signatories to a letter delivered to the Prime Minister yesterday also include more than 50 members of the House of Lords, including four former chiefs of defence staff.
They are calling on the government to “put in place a lasting legal protection” for servicemen “wherever and whenever they serve”.
Referring to a controversial inquiry into British troops’ actions in Iraq, which has now closed after becoming widely discredited, the group warned veterans who served during The Troubles in Northern Ireland could be subject to a similar scenario.
The letter, organised by former minister and ex-territorial army officer Mark Francois, states: “The Iraq Historic Allegations Team furore showed us how our judicial system can be abused and how it can damage our security services.
“The legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles threatens to do just the same. We believe it is time for the government to act comprehensively and put it all behind us.”
The issue has previously been the source of a cabinet divide, and earlier this year, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson warned Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley of a “witch-hunt” over government plans to consult on the setting up of an historical investigations unit in Northern Ireland, which is required as part of the 2014 Stormont House Agreement.
The Prime Minister has described an “unfair situation” at the moment in Northern Ireland, with terrorists “not being investigated”.