PM under fire over plan to give IRA pub bombers amnesty
Families describe move to end prosecutions as ‘obscene’
RELATIVES of victims of the Birmingham pub bombings have described Government plans to introduce legislation to end all prosecutions related to the Troubles before 1998 as “obscene”.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended his plan, even though it would provide an amnesty to the people behind the Birmingham pub bombings.
He said it would “enable the province of Northern Ireland to draw a line under these troubles... to enable the people of Northern Ireland to move forward”.
He spoke in the House of Commons after Labour leader Keir Starmer asked him to respond to Julie Hambleton, whose older sister Maxine was among 21 people killed in the 1974 blasts in Birmingham.
She has written to Mr Johnson on behalf of the Justice For The 21 campaign group, condemning the planned legislation.
Mr Starmer said: “She says, ‘tell me Prime Minister, if one of your loved ones was blown up beyond recognition, where you were only able to identify your son or daughter by their fingernails, would you be so quick to grant their murderers an amnesty, and propose such obscene legislation?’”
Mr Starmer asked: “What does the Prime Minister have to say to Julie – and she’s listening – and other victims like her?”
Mr Johnson did not deny that the
proposed laws would mean giving an amnesty to the people behind the Birmingham pub bombings. It is understood that at least one of the people responsible for the murders is still alive.
Mr Johnson said: “The whole House will acknowledge the suffering of victims like Julie and their families. Of course, nothing I say or can do now can in any way mitigate her loss, and that is clear.
“But it is also true that the people of Northern Ireland must, if we possibly can allow them to, they must
move forwards now.”
He said the proposals were “measured” and “balanced”, and would prevent “vexatious” attempts to prosecute British soldiers. Mr Johnson also said many terrorists were effectively given an amnesty under previous Labour governments.
Ms Hambleton has warned the Prime Minister that the Government risks losing sight of its “moral, ethical, and judicial backbone”.
She says the Government has failed to have “even the common decency to discuss this with victims’ families and survivors”.
She also warns about the impact on deterrence, saying “how many
more innocent souls would the IRA would have murdered had they known in future… they would be granted an amnesty?”
Two bombs planted in the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pubs exploded on November 21, 1974, killing 21 and injuring up to 220 more.
A flawed investigation by West Midlands Police into the 1974 bombings led to the wrongful convictions of the Birmingham Six.
Nobody has been brought to justice for the blasts since, despite years of campaigning.
In 2019, an inquest found a botched IRA warning was responsible for the victims’ unlawful killings.
However, the coronial process was described as “unsatisfactory” by some of the bereaved, for not prompting criminal charges against any of the perpetrators.
In November 2020, a 65-year-old man was arrested in Belfast in connection with the bombings by officers from West Midlands Police assisted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
He was later released and the police investigation continues.
Justice For The 21 has also called on Home Secretary Priti Patel to give a firm commitment on holding a public inquiry into their loved ones’ deaths.