Last night, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP voted to scrap a piece of legislation that would drag Army veterans who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles through the courts.
Conservative MPs voted against a “carry-over” motion for the Labour Government’s Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, which would allow the legislation to continue to be considered by Parliament in the next session, which begins in May.
Caroline is concerned that the Bill risks reopening deeply sensitive legacy issues while exposing veterans to prolonged and potentially vexatious legal claims, decades after their service. Gosport Constituency has the highest proportion of veterans of any constituency in the country, with 1 in every 8 residents having served in the Armed Forces.
Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Opposition, has previously said that the legislation reopens “decades-old cases where the only people left with records are soldiers who followed lawful orders, while IRA terrorists walk free because the weapons they used were decommissioned without forensic testing.”
The Conservatives have made clear that if returned to Government, they will repeal the legislation and replace it with an approach that delivers fairness for veterans while supporting long-term stability in Northern Ireland. Caroline has consistently argued that those who served our country must be treated with dignity and protected from unnecessary legal jeopardy.
Almost 900 people from the Gosport constituency signed a petition calling on the Government to scrap the legislation, leading to a vote in Parliament.
Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said: “Veterans form the backbone of our community in the Gosport Constituency. Many of those who served in Northern Ireland during Troubles are now old men. Decades ago they faced a dangerous and unpredictable enemy, often making split second decisions under enormous pressure. They did all this in the service of our Country, and don’t deserve to now live with the prospect of being dragged through the legal system.
“I support the clear commitment that the next Conservative Government will scrap this legislation and bring forward a fairer, more balanced approach.”
