Ministers say they have held more than 70 engagements with veterans since July 2024 while discussing legislation relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles.
The figure was disclosed by Veterans Minister Al Carns in response to a series of written parliamentary questions from Conservative MP James Cartlidge concerning consultation with veterans over the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.
Cartlidge had asked the Ministry of Defence to provide details of the veterans’ groups, military cohorts and associations ministers had met since 5 July 2024 to discuss the legislation.
In his response, Carns said the government had engaged with a wide range of military stakeholders, including veterans who served during Operation Banner, the British Army’s long-running deployment in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007. “The Government has engaged closely with a wide range of military stakeholders in relation to the Troubles Bill to ensure that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill effectively supports veterans,” Carns said.
He added that discussions had involved both veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces from different regiments and time periods. “This has involved meeting with veterans and current serving members of the Armed Forces whose service took place across different time periods, including during Op BANNER, and across a wide range of regiments,” he said.
However, the minister did not provide a list of specific organisations or associations when answering the questions. Instead, Carns said the scale of engagement should be understood in terms of the number of meetings held with veterans across the armed forces community.
“Since 5 July 2024, in my previous, and current Ministerial role, I have conducted over 70 veterans’ engagements, where I spoke with hundreds of veterans, from all Services and cohorts, from a wide range of different associations, about a number of matters,” he said.
See The Circumlocution Office (Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens) for details.
They can point to all the meetings and consultations that they like.
Isn’t it the point that this leaves armed forces personnel open to prosecution while terrorists walk away free?
Like those responsible for killing the two Corporals Wood and Howes in 88, which I remember watching as a teen, who were subsequently released.
Forces personnel including Det and 22 soldiers who did a quite fabulous job monitoring and then ambushing terrorists while in the act, at which they were often shot dead.
You live by the sword and die by the sword? Or does that only work one way and not for those who shot off duty RUC and UDR personnel in bed, infont of families, on their doorstep, or bombed their cars?
Why should the army have to answer for shooting to kill when terrorists did it as standard?
Balancing that, some of the actions by the FRU, on Bloody Sunday, and at the Ballymurphy massacres are questionable, and some actions by the MRF outrageous.
But these are isolated examples, and again if these actions apply to one side only and not both, no wonder people are angry.
Don’t even go there mate,there is always people calling for justice here! Funny enough though guess what side it all comes from?
I think we need to call this by its proper name Daniele. This is left wing lawyers profiteering whilst virtue signaling and causing immense harm to innocent men (and it is men that are being hounded not women). Note that human rights law is being imposed retrospectively which ironically is against the law itself (not many people point out this legal fact). The veterans should cite common law presumption of non-retrospective laws. The irony in all of this is there are shinning examples (and I use that word deliberately for obvious reasons) of left wing lawyers using the tax payer to enrich themselves whilst persecuting innocent veterans. We all know of someone tried, convicted, and sentenced for this type of fraud (two year suspended sentence in that specific case which was too lenient by half). Note that one individual never proved any of his cases against British servicemen yet committed industrial level fraud and perjury. Personally given the impact of that fraud and the extent in terms of millions of pounds a punitive sentence of 15 to 20 years would have be appropriate for that left wing lawyer to set an example to other chancers. The only time any light will be shone on this type of fraud is when a veteran commits suicide as a consequence which I think is likely to happen given the way these sharks go after people defending the country. I will say this again in the theatre of war Geneva conventions apply but to have human rights on the battlefield is completely stupid and insane. It’s risking lives and it’s impacting upon people’s willingness to sign up to the armed services. Many this is what the left want a defenseless, neutered UK at the mercy of our enemies. The Labour party have a reckoning at the next election and they thoroughly deserve it as do the Tories as well. God help us with the morons amongst who vote the Green party though…..I’ve always thought an IQ test and a test to see whether you know the policies of the party you are voting for should be mandatory at general elections. Unfortunately we have a lot of highly educated dumb people being produced by the university sector.
Thanks Andrew, I agree.
👍
One would hope that the court case against Jerry Adams will address the balance for the troubles…However, given the number of left leaning lawyers and their bias don’t expect miracles on that front. One must never forget that Jeremy Corbyn befriended many enemies of the UK. I’ll personally never forgive him for cozying up to Jerry Adams and Martin McGuiness at the height of the troubles. Even though the formal request for British troops to be deployed in Operation Banner came from the Unionist government we must never forget that also the republican community clamored for the UK to have troops deployed in Northern Ireland which is a historical fact many forget. At the beginning of Operation Banner Catholics viewed British troops as protectors. However, we know the role the IRA played in blackening the name of British troops…bloody Sunday and the role of the IRA at the beginning has never been fully told and Martin McGuiness always remained tight lipped. To say that British troops opened fire without any provocation is unlikely in the extreme (from experienced professional soldiers) and we all know that shots were fired (and bombs) before the Paras acted. Given that British troops were regularly targeted for ambushes by the IRA it is unfortunate that the nervousness of young Paras led to the loss of innocent unarmed civilians. However, I contend the IRA were to blame for this happening in my opinion. It’s difficult for any us to say what we would have done in similar circumstances where you have protestors and then are fired at and you don’t know where their bullets are coming from. I bet all those left wing lawyers would be the first to shoot if they were in similar circumstances. It doesn’t excuse bloody Sunday but compared to the IRA the British army of paragons of virtue.
Needless to say the Irish government also did not help matters and many believe collusion between the IRA and the Irish government may have occured…at least in providing safe refuge in their borders. The US also did not crack down on the Irish community in the US allegedly providing funding…. Given the numbers of encounters and the hybrid guerilla type warfare and the improvised explosive devices that targeted civilians and military alike you have to admire the professionalism of our armed service personnel in not being more aggressive in their responses. Also, we know now that the IRA collaborated with North African dictators and middle eastern terrorist networks as well. However, the troubles do say one thing don’t allow soldiers to be used as armed police officers…it was a bad idea from start to finish. Soldiers are their to fight external treats to the UK in theatres of war and not to police sectarianism within the realm. My personal view is that all those serving in Northern Ireland should be given letters absolving them of any responsibility….just like the “comfort letters” sent to the IRA by the Labour party.
Very good summary indeed👍
It doesn’t sit right that Adam’s has actually been cleared by a Dublin court of being a member of the IRA either! Multiple photos of him in IRA
‘Uniform’ and his mug was planted on the wall of every op centre in the province🤬
Yes, again I agree.
I’d read often that IRA members were shooting at the Paras to provoke a response beforehand.
A bit like now when Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran plonk targets under or next to schools and hospitals, wait for them to be hit, then the left scream blue murder.
And the October attacks were the same, they provoked the response, and Israel obliged.
Adams? He was a British asset wasn’t he? Either that or he was kept alive to give politics rather than the bomb chance. Why else doctor the bullets the loyalists shot him with?
What stops these clowns for giving profuse thanks to the personnel for their amazing service during what was an extremely pressurised deployment.
Where’s the gratitude, the thanks and the honour?
We seem to live in an age where politicians and the media are obsessed with righting “historical injustices”
But there seems to be a masochistic twist in it all where the blame lies 100% with the UK.
What good does it do to keep digging up the past, reopening old wounds, and stoking anger?
I’m still waiting for France to sue Italy for those 1 million Gallic slaves, and for the Italians to tear down the statues of Emperors who screwed kids for fun.
It won’t happen, they’ve more SENSE.
Had meetings did not listen and they do not care. What an really arrogant news story, saying they had meetings, No point if have already made your mind up. Disgusting spin story just show how low the Government goes when it wants crap on ex military but makes it look like they cared.
Sorry this is just offensive.
Treason.
Bugger the IRA and its sympathizers who got popped in Ulster and elsewhere. And bugger the Crown prosecutors for fixating on this, but the peril native Briton women face at the hands of the assorted undesirables from the former Raj and elsewhere who have been allowed into the UK remains officially ignored by Government.
Blair and the Lawyers Cabal are the prime movers behind this injustice. Provos get a “get out of gaol” card. Veterans are hounded. Remember Phil Shiner? Leftist lawyers make a fortune out of this stuff. And over 40% of MP’s are guess what?
What is their motivation? Not human rights, financial gain and being able to preen themselves in their exclusive peer group of Oxbridge graduates.
Said it before, the enemy within.