Hilary Benn accuses Conservatives of making false promises to veterans

The Northern Ireland Secretary has accused the veterans of making “false promises” with the controversial heritage Act, as they defended labor plans to replace it.

Hillary Ben was speaking during a three -hour debate in Parliament, in which MPs clashed in the presence of some military veterans.

The Act, which was brought by the conservatives, banned the inquiry and civil works related to the incidents during the troubles.

It also demands offering a conditional amnesty for people suspected of crimes related to troubles. In exchange for cooperation with a new information recovery body – Later illegal rule was held.

The Labor Act is in the process of canceling, but some people have faced a backlash that says that it can prosecute military veterans.

Speaking at Westminster on Monday evening, Ben said that 202 live inquiries were brought to a stop in May 2024 in the murders related to the problems of the armed forces members and another 23 veterans were included – as a result of the controversial heritage act.

He was responding to a petition signed by more than 170,000 people, calling Labor to protect the safety for veterans around prosecution for incidents related to troubles “.

Ben said that hundreds of military families were still seeking answers, and the government was “listening carefully to the victims and their relatives with veterans.

He said, “I and the Defense Secretary are attached to our veteran community and future laws with all interested parties, and we will ensure that there are better security in place.”

But Orthodox MP and Chhaya Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois described the government’s plans as “two-tier justice”.

He said that many veterans now effectively “hanged the sword of Democls again on them”.

Talk to BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulsteter On Tuesday, veteran commissioner David Johnstone said the petition and debate was a “achievement”.

“I think the first 100,000 signed the petition on this petition within a week, which was launched without any construction,” said Mr. Johnstone.

“I think the United Kingdom reflects the ideas of veterans in the Kingdom and simply exercise and disappointed and bizarre and bizarrely they are in the current government policy to cancel and change parts of the Heritage Act.”

Shri Johnstone said: “We have been for 27 years, the society that was said will be peace and generalization and still is a very part of the problems of the veterans.”

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson accused the government of demanding a “re -writing of the history of the past”, and said that his party had opposed the Heritage Act for “very different reasons” compared to Sin Fen.

“We are asking the government to protect those who protected us,” he said.

Ulster Unionist Party (YUP) MP Robin Swann said “point-scoring” between the conservative and the Labor MPs during the debate, saying that it was the duty of any party in power to “get the right to ensure that those people who serve are not drawn through the courts”.

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Alastair said that the state secretary needs to take the concerns of the veterans seriously.

He said, “This government is asked to deal with the inheritance issues and if this government is going to deal with it, it needs to be questioned and stem to deal with the route that is now producing the possible prosecution of the most brave brave of some of our citizens,” he said.

Next to the debate, hundreds of military giants protested against the plan to change the law in Westminster.

They say that they fear that it may reopen the possibility of more cases against army veterans.

Around 170,000 people signed a petition supported by Francois, demanding labor, there was no change in the law, which would allow veterans from Northern Ireland to prosecute – a level that means the subject would have to argue by MPs.

In protest, those among those who served tourism in each northern Ireland.

Mr. Butler said that the government had to “get rid of” his plans and listen to the veterans.

“It is completely ridiculous the way it has come on one head … labor fell for it, half the MPs in the commons were not born during troubles, what do they know about it?”

Mr. Aspi said that he participated in protest to support the colleagues, which he felt that “there was a danger of” being put in court as elderly veterans “.

“This is not correct. Constant British governments have left the legendary community.”

The Act was passed by the Conservative Government despite the protests of Labor, all Northern Ireland parties, groups of many victims and the Irish government in September 2023.

It created a new heritage body known ICRIR from 1 May 2024 to handle all the troubles, which included at the desk of Northern Ireland Police Service.

The Act stopped all historical inquiry.

The most controversial elements of the Act, offering conditional immunity to the suspects, were disappointed after legal action by bereaved families.

This part of the Act was inconsistent with the law of human rights and windser structure.

Last July, the Labor Government wrote to the Belfast Courts that the law left the appeal against the exit from the Amnesty Claus.

In December, formally state secretary Started process to cancel the actBut at the same time, indicating a backlash from the veterans who do not want to cancel the law, he was criticized by some political parties and groups of victims, which is not quickly enough.