The Special Air Service Regimental Association has taken the unprecedented step of initiating legal action against the Government over Labour’s Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, issuing a formal letter before action to Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.
In a statement announcing the move, the Association says the Bill is “manifestly deficient in the protections it offers to former service personnel, police officers, and members of the security services.” It has warned that, if passed in its current form, the legislation “will be subject to challenge,” and confirmed it intends to submit detailed evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois framed the development as a sign of widespread anger among veterans. He said: “Call me old fashioned but the SAS traditionally protect the Government, rather than trying to sue them. After the recent letter from the ‘nine senior generals’ calling Labour’s Legacy Plans ‘a direct threat to national security’ this further action shows just how angry veterans and particularly former special forces soldiers are about Hilary Benn’s extremely dangerous proposals. Perhaps this will be a case of ‘Who Sues Wins?’”
The issue spilled into Prime Minister’s Questions, where Conservative MP Sir David Davis warned the Bill is already damaging force morale. He told MPs: “Last week, nine four-star generals made clear that the Bill the Government passed yesterday is already causing real harm to the Armed Forces. The most acute damage is being felt by the Special Air Service. It is already affecting their recruitment, retention, morale, and operational effectiveness.”
Davis added that lawyers acting for the Association have already issued a letter before action, noting: “I know of no precedent for this in the entire history of the army. It reflects just how serious the situation is.” He urged the Prime Minister to intervene directly to prevent “soldiers in their sixties, seventies, and eighties from being dragged into court and effectively punished for actions which most people would consider heroic.”
The Government has yet to formally respond to the Association’s legal notice.
Good!now hopefully associations like the para’s etc get behind this.
Good. I hope they win, but the with the glacial speed this country moves at it will take years.
With a blatant two tier system, I’m surprised nobody had done this sooner! If there’s a kickstarter to support funding this, I for one will be supporting it.
Good. Lets hope others join in. Did they learn nothing from the verdict a few weeks ago? Time to let sleeping dogs lie, after all the other side have got off Scot free. Veterans have human rights too.