Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has issued a direct challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging him to protect military veterans as Parliament prepares to vote on repealing key provisions of the Northern Ireland legacy legislation.
Immunity Provisions Under Threat
Government proposals would remove measures from the Legacy Act that currently prevent the prosecution of veterans for Troubles-related crimes committed during the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland. These provisions had offered legal protection to former service personnel in exchange for providing information about historical incidents.
Legal Background and Human Rights Concerns
The legislative changes follow a significant 2024 ruling by the High Court in Belfast, which declared parts of the original Legacy Act incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. While the previous Conservative government had initiated an appeal against this decision, the Labour administration elected subsequently chose to abandon that legal challenge.
MPs were scheduled to vote on the draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order 2025 on Wednesday, setting the stage for a contentious parliamentary debate about how Britain addresses its troubled past in Northern Ireland.
Parliamentary Confrontation at PMQs
During Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch delivered a pointed appeal to Starmer, stating: "We support our armed forces in every possible way. Later today, my party will vote to protect our veterans from unfair prosecution. He is ordering his MPs to vote against them."
The Conservative leader continued with an emotional plea: "In our national interest, and for the sake of all the brave people in the armed forces, past, present and future, will the Prime Minister do the right thing and vote in support of our veterans, not against them?"
Government's Defence of Repeal
Prime Minister Starmer responded by defending his government's position, arguing: "Under the last government, they passed legislation which was struck down, leaving our veterans utterly exposed. We're putting in place proper measures to protect them."
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn provided further justification for the repeal during subsequent Commons debate, stating the 2023 Legacy Act had "fundamentally failed" because it conflicted with Britain's human rights obligations.
Benn elaborated: "One of the main reasons for the failure of the legacy Act was its attempt to grant immunity, including to terrorists who murdered in cold blood soldiers and civilians in Northern Ireland and in towns and cities across England."
"Now, it probably, in fairness, seemed reassuring to veterans, it was almost certainly reassuring to terrorists who had committed those acts. But it was a false promise, and it protected no one," the Northern Ireland Secretary added.
Building Trust Through Clarity
Benn emphasized the government's urgency in implementing the repeal, explaining: "The Government is clear that these repeals need to happen as quickly as possible. Why? Because we need to provide clarity on immunity to build trust amongst victims, survivors and indeed veterans in the independent commission."
"Because while immunity remains on the statute book, it will be harder for them to obtain the confidence of some victims and survivors," he concluded, highlighting the complex balancing act between veterans' protection and victims' justice.
Opposition Concerns About Continuing Conflict
Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Alex Burghart expressed significant reservations about the remedial order, characterising it as a "continuation of the Troubles by other means" and suggesting it was time to finally draw a line under the historical conflict.
Burghart aligned himself with Conservative MP Lincoln Jopp's assessment that the debate represented a "proxy war" designed to "relitigate the question 'who won?'" – indicating how the legacy legislation debate has become entangled with broader political narratives about the Troubles.
The parliamentary confrontation highlights the enduring sensitivity surrounding Northern Ireland's troubled history and the challenging political calculations involved in balancing veterans' protections with human rights obligations and victims' need for justice.
