Nuclear test veteran Ken says compo bid is too little, too late
A victim of Britain’s nuclear tests has dubbed plans by any future Labour government to compensate surviving veteran as“too little, too late”.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said that if Labour comes to power it will give a £50,000 lump sum payment to victims to give them security and comfort in their old age.
But Ken McGinley, from Johnstone, who was exposed to five nuclear tests on Christmas Island as a young National Serviceman with the Royal Engineers in 1958 blasted the plans.
He said:“It’s too little, too late.
“I was 81 last week, and if I got the money I would give it to my daughter. “I would never benefit from it.
“It’s not about money – it’s a legal and moral matter.”
Young soldiers were shipped over to the Pacific Ocean in 1957, believing they were on regular missions.
But, after arriving, they witnessed massive explosions, including the first British H-Bomb tests, without any protective clothing or goggles.
In later years, thousands of British men suffered serious health issues and believed the radiation they were exposed to was to blame.
Mr McGinley was among 55 soldiers from the Paisley area who suffered serious health problems after the UK detonated its biggest-ever bomb – codenamed Grapple Y – on April 28, 1958.
Notable cancers believed to have been caused by the testing include leukaemia, multiple myeloma, thyroid and various melanomas.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said yesterday that Labour’s plans were long overdue.
“Every aspect of nuclear weapons manifests a complete disregard for human life, and the way British veterans exposed to high doses of radiation have been treated serves as a powerful example,”she said.
“Like many service people today, they were ill-equipped, and they knew little about the fatal and life-changing consequences of the nuclear tests they carried out.
“We welcome the Labour Party’s decision to compensate the Christmas Island veterans - it is long overdue. The UK’s catastrophic decision to test the H-bomb on that island in 1957 was the trigger for mass opposition to nuclear weapons here in Britain.
“Over 60 years on, consecutive governments have refused to grasp the nettle and scrap nuclear weapons. It’s time for the Labour Party to break the impasse.”
It’s too little, too late. It’s not about money – it’s a legal and moral matter. Ken
McGinlay
A Paisley optician’s marking National Eye Health Week by raising awareness of the importance of regular tests.
Specsavers in Moss Street is calling on residents to make time for their eye health and has launched an augmented reality ( AR) filter on social media to help people understand what their lives would be like with impaired vision.
The company says 5,650 people in Renfrewshire are living with sight loss, but an estimated half of all sight loss is avoidable.
Gail Thompson, store director at Specsavers in Paisley , said: “Our sight is so important and we shouldn’t take it for granted.
“Half of all sight loss is avoidable, and this National Eye Health Week we’re encouraging people to put eye health firmly on their agendas.
“Having your eyes tested does not just check for changes in your vision but can help prevent sight loss through early detection of conditions, and can even spot other health concerns such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
“We’ll also be marking the occasion by raising funds to support people living with sight loss.”
The filter, which is on Specsavers’ Facebook and Instagram accounts, can be applied to users’ images, to give an impression of common eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and cataract.