Labour declines to reassure veterans in their fears that the party in government will let legacy again turn against the security forces

Military veterans told the News Letter of their concern at reports that a future Labour government would reverse key aspects of the new legislation to deal with the past, which many people who served in Northern Ireland during the violence feel is needed in a bid to end bias in favour of terrorists, and against the security forces.

An Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICIR) has been set up to help ‘draw a line’ under the Troubles – offering a conditional amnesty to those accused of serious crimes committed between January 1966 and April 1998. Other provisions of the NI Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act, include ending civil litigation, and inquests into conflict-related deaths not completed before the cut-off date of May 1.

Although there is almost universal opposition from NI victims groups to the legislation, many military veterans based in Great Britain have welcomed its introduction. Groups representing them had repeatedly claimed that the legal system was placing a disproportionate focus on allegations against former soldiers, while terror offenders enjoyed a de facto amnesty.

Ex RUC officers also widely believe that legacy has been approached in an unbalanced way.

Earlier this week, shadow NI Secretary Hilary Benn said he would be prepared to restore legacy inquests and Troubles-related civil cases. However, Mr Benn said he would not scrap the ICRIR.

Paul Young of the Northern Ireland Veterans Movement said veterans are still prepared to cooperate with the ICRIR, but will have to “think very carefully” about future engagement if concerns are not addressed, and that state killing cases are prioritised over others.

"Our engagement with the commission is based on them having an even-handed approach to all legacy cases,” he said. "If the commission only churns out reports regarding state killings, then we will have to think very carefully about whether we want to engage with them or not. It’s an equality and fairness issue. It’s got to be for all victims and not just victims of the state.”

Mr Young added: "We want equality for the families of soldiers that were murdered by the IRA, and all those that were seriously injured.”

Commenting on the prospect of a future Labour government reinstating Troubles inquests and civil cases, Mr Young said: “We believe that all that does is rewrite history, and run up huge legal aid bills from the legacy practitioners.

We put these comments both to Mr Benn and to the Labour Party. Only a spokesperson for the party replied, saying: "The Legacy Act has been almost universally opposed in Northern Ireland and British citizens should not be denied their legal rights in one part of the UK. This is why Labour has opposed it.

"We are committed to repealing and replacing the act with legislation capable of commanding wide support. Independent investigations and truth recovery, as well as access to justice through an inquest or a civil case, are important for so many families."

An ICRIR spokesman said the commission will operate “completely bias free,” and added: "We will operate impartially and independently of any vested interests. Our mission is to thoroughly investigate and establish the facts of past events, and to provide an acknowledgement of the wrongdoing.”