A stain on Britain’s moral integrity

ALMOST a year has passed since the Government promised a decision about whether to begin an independent judge-led inquiry into deeply disturbing evidence that British intelligence agencies repeatedly colluded with torture. The worst allegations date back to the Tony Blair government, when we now know for sure that Britain colluded with America in the brutal ill-treatment of post-9/11 terror suspects. Nine years ago, when he became prime minister, David Cameron said he was ‘determined to get to the bottom of what happened’ and ordered a judge-led inquiry under Sir Peter Gibson. Despite an interim report, nothing happened. Yesterday, the United Nations Committee Against Torture lost patience. It demanded that Britain should ‘establish without further delay an inquiry on alleged acts of torture and other ill-treatment of detainees held overseas committed by, at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of British officials’. This is very embarrassing for the Government, and we lose all moral authority if it covers up offences our men and women are accused of committing.