Markus Andrews

The U.K. government announced Wednesday that it plans to introduce a statute of limitations for alleged crimes committed during decades of violence in Northern Ireland a move that would end prosecution for killings by both British soldiers and members of militant groups.Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told lawmakers in the House of Commons that the statute would “apply equally to all Troubles-related incidents.” He said the change reflected the increasing difficulty of prosecuting people for long-ago crimes. More than 3,500 people died — most of them civilians — during three decades of violence known as the “Troubles,” a three-way conflict involving Irish republican and British loyalist paramilitaries and U.K. troops.“We know that the prospect of the end of criminal prosecutions will be difficult for some to accept, and this is not a position we take lightly,” Lewis said.“But we’ve come to the view that this is the best and only way to facilitate an effective information retrieval and provision process, and the best way to help Northern Ireland move further along the road to reconciliation,” he said. “It is, in reality, a painful recognition of the very reality of where we are.”The statute of limitations will accompanied by a new independent body tasked with uncovering and compiling information about Troubles-related deaths and injuries, according to Lewis.The 1998 Good Friday peace accord ended large-scale violence in Northern Ireland. As part of the peace process, many militants were released from prison or were not prosecuted for actions during the Troubles.The U.K.’s Conservative government is under pressure from many party members and the military to lift the threat of prosecution from troops who served in Northern Ireland decades ago. Several prosecutions of former soldiers for alleged Troubles crimes have recently collapsed. Earlier this month, authorities announced plans to halt the prosecution of two former British soldiers over the killing of three people in Northern Ireland in 1972, including two shot dead on “Bloody Sunday,” when paratroopers killed 13 Catholic civilians in the city of Londonderry British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the statute of limitations would stop army veterans facing “vexatious prosecutions well into their 70s and 80s.”He told lawmakers that the plan would “enable the province of Northern Ireland to draw a line under the Troubles, to enable the people of Northern Ireland to move forward.”Putting a time limit on prosecutions will also mean the perpetrators of some paramilitary attacks could escape justice. The opposition Labour Party called the statute of limitations “an amnesty in all but name” for murder.Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, said “victims will see these proposals as perpetrator-focused rather than victim-focused and an insult to both the memory of those innocent victims who lost their lives during our Troubles and their families.”“We understand that with the passage of time the prospect of justice is diminishing for many, but these proposals, if passed, will extinguish that flickering flame of justice completely and is a moral overreach that cannot be accepted,” Donaldson said. More

The UK government intends to introduce a statute of limitations which would end all prosecutions in Troubles-related cases, Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis confirmed.The cabinet minister promised a new independent body to help families find out what happened to loved ones in killings and other legacy cases involving ex-paramilitaries and former members of the security forces.“We know the prospect of the end of criminal prosecutions will be difficult for some to accept, and this is not a position we take lightly,” Mr Lewis told MPs on Wednesday.The cabinet minister added: “We’ve come to the view that this is … the best way to move Northern Ireland further along the road to reconciliation.”Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer condemned the government’s plan for a “blanket” amnesty for crimes committed during the Troubles era, claiming it was “plain wrong” to end prosecutions.“I’ve also prosecuted terrorists as the Director of Public Prosecutions, so I know how difficult and how sensitive this is. But a blanket amnesty, including for terrorists, is plain wrong,” Sir Keir said at PMQs.Labour accused the government of putting party political interests before the country. Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Louise Haigh it would be “foolish and unsustainable” to push legislation through without support from any political party in the province.Ms Haigh told the Commons: “Any proposal to deal with legacy must have victims and the communities of Northern Ireland at its heart.”She added: “Little wonder that many have greeted today’s proposals with deep scepticism and wonder if it is more an exercise in shoring up narrow party support than it is in delivering the reconciliation communities in Northern Ireland crave.”Promising to introduce legislation “by the end of this autumn”, Mr Lewis said it would include proposals for a new independent body to focus on the recovery of information about Troubles-related deaths.But the Northern Ireland secretary insisted criminal investigations had proved damaging. “It’s clear the current system for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles is not working,” Mr Lewis said.“It’s now a difficult, in fact painful, truth that the focus on criminal investigations is increasingly unlikely to deliver successful criminal justice outcomes, but all the while it continues to divide communities and it fails to obtain answers for a majority of victims and families.”DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the plan to introduce a statute of limitations for Troubles-related offences would be “rejected by everyone” in Northern Ireland.The DUP MP added: “There can be no equivalence between the soldier and police officer who served their country and those cowardly terrorists who hid behind masks and terrorised under the cover of darkness.“The Democratic Unionist Party, both publicly and privately, has, and continues to oppose, any form of amnesty … We will oppose any plans that give an effective amnesty to those who murdered and maimed over many decades.”Claiming the government wanted to see “truth and reconciliation” in Northern Ireland, Mr Lewis suggested that ending prosecutions would encourage more people to come forward with information.Republic of Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney said Dublin would oppose any unilateral move to end all Troubles-era prosecutions.Mr Coveney said the UK government plan was not a “fait accompli” – promising he would push for “inclusive dialogue to try to agree consensus”. More

The government’s proposals for a “blanket” amnesty for crimes commited during the Troubles in Northern Ireland is “plain wrong”, Keir Starmer has said.The policy, which is opposed by all five of the main political parties in Northern Ireland and the Irish government, would end prosecutions for crimes commited before the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.The move is being driven by the government’s promise to end prosecutions for British soldiers accused of crimes during the Troubles, who would be covered by the new approach, alongside former paramilitaries.Speaking during prime minister’s questions, the Labour leader said: “I worked in Northern Ireland for six years with the policing board and the police. I’ve also prosecuted terrorists as the Director of Public Prosecutions, so I know how difficult and how sensitive this is. But a blanket amnesty, including for terrorists, is plain wrong.”But speaking in defence of the plans, Boris Johnson told the Commons that the idea should be given a “fair wind” – accusing Sir Keir of a lack of statesmanship.”The people of Northern Ireland must, if we possibly can allow them to, move forwards now,” the prime minister told MPs.”[Keir Starmer] will know that the proposals that have been brought forward… are measured, they are balanced and they have a wide degree of support from former Labour prime ministers and former Labour leaders who have considerable more distinction, if I may say, than him.”He will recall that it was under that Labour administration that many terrorists were unfortunately given effectively an amnesty, and they were allowed to escape the full consequences of their crimes and that is the reality.”The sad fact remains that there are many members of the armed services who continue to face the threat of vexatious prosecutions well into their 70s, 80s and later, and we’re finally bringing forward a solution to this problem, to enable the province of Northern Ireland to draw a line under the Troubles, to enable the people of Northern Ireland to move forward.”I think someone with greater statesmanship and clarity of vision would have seen that and given these proposals a fair wind.”Last week Sir Keir said Labour would not remain neutral in a border poll on the status of Northern Ireland and actively campaign for it to stay as part of the UK. More

Criticism levelled at Priti Patel over her comments on taking the knee during the Euro 2020 tournament are “unusual” and “odd”, Grant Shapps has suggested.As the home secretary’s comments from earlier in the competition came under intense scrutiny, the transport secretary highlighted that she had spoken “very movingly” in the House of Commons of her own experience of racism.During the first stages of the contest, Ms Patel declined to condemn the minority of fans who had booed England’s footballer who had taken the knee to express solidarity against racism, suggesting it was a “choice for them”.The row intensified following the Euros defeat when three players — Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka — were subjected to racial abuse on social media, which the home secretary and No 10 condemned.England star Tyrone Mings, however, suggested Ms Patel had “stoke[d] the fire” of racism during the beginning of the tournament, “by labelling our anti-racism message as ‘gesture politics’ & then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we’re campaigning against, happens”.Jonny Mercer, a Conservative MP who recently quit government, backed Mr Mings on social media, saying: “The painful truth is that this guy is completely right”.But speaking on Sky News, Mr Shapps became the latest senior minister to defend the Ms Patel, saying: “I thought the comments about Priti Patel were unusual or odd because Priti Patel has spoke very movingly in the House of Commons about her own experience of suffering of racism.”He also insisted the government was “absolutely united” in its opposition to racism, but declined to say whether the Conservative Party needed to urgently challenge its attitude towards racism after former minister Steve Baker urged his colleagues to do so in the wake of the Euro tournament.“This may be a decisive moment for our party,” Mr Baker said on Tuesday evening. “Much as we can’t be associated with calls to defund the police, we urgently need to challenge our own attitude to people taking the knee.”Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the senior Tory backbencher added it was a “wake-up call” for the Conservative Party “of how powerful our words are when we navigate these issues”, but declined to engage in criticism of Ms Patel.“It’s one thing to boo the referee with a marginal decision,” he added, “but it’s another to boo brave, black players who are saying no to racism and bravely going out on the field to take a knee and say we are expressing our solidarity with those who are suffering racism”.Pressed on the comments, Mr Shapps said: “I think it’s really simple: racism is abhorrent, you never want to see it in society, we want to make sure it’s kicked out in all its forms.“Our England players clearly did a brilliant job and we should always cheer them and I would take issue with anybody who says we shouldn’t do everything possible to get rid of racism, and that’s exactly what’s happened.”Quizzed again, he added: “I think we should respect everybody and whatever form they want to show that they are against racism it’s fine with me.“I think actually it’s a shame because it detracts from a phenomenal performance by the England team who got together and did England proud and that’s where I prefer to leave.“I think we should work together in society and start by accepting that nobody wants to see racism and you accept everybody is coming from the right attitude and approach on this then will get a lot further as a country.” More

Keir Starmer accuses Boris Johnson of ‘trying to stoke a culture war’Sir Keir Starmer has accused the government of having tried “to stoke a culture war” and realising it is “on the wrong side” during a fiery session of PMQs in the aftermath of the Euro 2020 final.With the Conservatives Against Racism For Equality (CARFE) group’s co-founder Albie Amonkona, having warned that MPs’ actions may have “laid the foundations” for the racist abuse experienced by England players after the match, Steve Baker urged all of his Tory colleagues to urgently “challenge” their attitude towards taking the knee in an expression of solidarity against racism.The influential Tory MP suggested such criticisms were “a wake-up call to the Conservative Party of just how powerful our words are when navigating these issues”.It came as a damning Runnymede Trust report warned that Boris Johnson’s government is in breach of a UN treaty designed to eradicate racial discrimination, with ministers’ new approach to equalities possibly set to “worsen” the existing disparities faced by ethnic minority groups across health, the criminal justice system, education, employment and immigration in England.Show latest update

1626274336Speaker ‘personally resolves’ lack of Black MPs in debate on racist abuseEarlier today, Labour’s shadow equalities secretary Marsha de Cordova had expressed her dismay at the fact there were no Black MPs on the call list to speak during an urgent question on racist abuse online.Ms de Cordova later said she was “pleased that Mr Speaker has personally resolved the situation”.Andy Gregory14 July 2021 15:521626271923Tory MP wrongly calls Gareth Southgate England ‘captain’While answering an urgent question about racist abuse footballers are facing on social media following Wednesday’s PMQs, Ms Atkins mistook the England manager for a player.“I’d like to conclude this statement with the words of our England captain Gareth Southgate,” the Tory MP said. More

Police are investigating after the Labour leader of Oldham Council was targeted in a firebomb attack on her car.The vehicle, belonging to Arooj Shah – the first female Muslim to lead a northern authority – was set ablaze at 1.30am on Tuesday morning.No one was hurt in the incident, but so intense were the flames that a neighbouring property was damaged.The “cowardly” attack was immediately condemned by politicians across the Greater Manchester area.“My solidarity with Councillor Arooj Shah, who has been targeted in such a cowardly way,” said Jim McMahon, MP for Oldham West and Royton. “The full weight of the law must be seen to bring those accountable to book.“As this is an ongoing investigation I am limited to what I can say publicly, other than to offer my support and thoughts to Arooj and her family.”Ms Shah has lived in Glodwick, one of England’s poorest wards, her whole life, after her parents moved to the UK from Pakistan to work in the local textile industry in the late 1960s.After being elected leader of the council in May, she spoke of her struggles battling racism and misogyny, as well as the opposition she had faced from traditionalists within her community.“I do feel like I have a huge duty to get it right, because I want any Asian woman who’s looking at me and watched the bulls**t that I’ve gone through to feel like they can do it too,” she said at the time.Speaking about Tuesday’s attack, Howard Sykes, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council, called the incident “appalling”.He said: “It is a frightening attack on an individual, but it also demonstrates the threat to people in public life and stops decent people from being involved in it.“This cannot be allowed to continue, and not only must we stop this criminal attack, but also the abusive approach that has been too much of the politics in Oldham recently, and the UK, in recent years.“Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, with respect, and with fairness. Abuse and ‘dog-whistle’ politics can have no part in our society.“This is a time when we must stand together. If you are a decent, fair-minded person, you must stand up against this appalling attack, and defend the values of our country – honesty, decency and fairness.”Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were investigating the incident.A spokesperson for the force said: “Police were called just before 1:30am on Tuesday 13 July to reports of a vehicle on fire on Greengate Street in Oldham.“Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service attended along with police, and it was established that the vehicle was deliberately ignited, also causing slight damage to a neighbouring property.“The fire was extinguished, no one was injured, and officers are investigating the circumstances.” More

Sian Berry has quit the race to be the new Green Party leader in a row over trans rights and appointments to key party positions.The current co-leader announced she would not fight to head the party outright in the autumn – following the resignation of Jonathan Bartley – laying bare an internal conflict.Ms Berry warned she could “no longer make the claim” that the Green Party fully backed trans rights, following “the party’s choice of front bench representatives”.“In the coming elections for new members of the party executive and leadership, we must all ask ourselves important questions about the values our party upholds at this pivotal moment,” she told members in a letter.“Will we continue to embrace the principles of listening and solidarity when minority groups are singled out for attack?”Ms Berry was not explicit about the appointment she opposed, but there has been criticism of the choice of Shahrar Ali to the policing and domestic safety brief.He has faced allegations of transphobia from some party members, accused of adopting a definition of women that is trans exclusionary.Mr Ali has strongly rejected the criticism, saying recently: “I have fought for the human rights of the marginalised and voiceless in our society for decades, and will continue to do so, for the LGBTIQA+, disabled and ethnic minority communities and for the rights of women and children, too.”Amid the row, the Green Party said all the newly selected spokespeople – including Mr Ali – had signed a code of conduct committing them to “fairness, tolerance, equality, diversity and inclusiveness”.Ms Berry, a London Assembly member, said: “I have been considering my position as co-leader since the decision was made to announce our new front bench spokespeople.“And, though I will stay on as acting leader through the leadership by-election, I am writing today to say that I have decided not to stand as a candidate in that by-election.”The 47-year-old said she was “proud of the progress” the party had made in recent years, after the Greens racked up gains at the local elections in May.But she could “no longer make the claim that the party speaks unequivocally, with one voice” on the issue of “trans rights and inclusion”.“I must stand by our policies and my pledges made to Londoners in the recent election, and there is now an inconsistency between the sincere promise to fight for trans rights and inclusion in my work and the message sent by the party’s choice of front bench representatives,” Ms Berry wrote.She added: “My conscience simply cannot agree with the argument that there is anything positive in sending these mixed messages, especially when the inclusive attitudes of our membership and wider society are clear.“Failing to win the confidence of a majority of my colleagues to reflect these is also a failure of leadership.” More

Labour has accused Priti Patel of “not even bothering” to appear for an urgent Commons question on the prevalence of racism on social media after abuse was directed at three black England footballers.Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, also reiterated his call for both Boris Johnson and Ms Patel to apologise for failing to speak out against those who booed the national team as they took the knee in protest at racism.It comes after Ms Patel, who condemned the abuse of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after the Euros final, was accused of having “stoke[d] the fire” of racism earlier in the tournament by England star Tyrone Mings.“The home secretary hasn’t even bothered to turn up to this answer this question today,” Mr Thomas-Symonds told MPs on Wednesday.However, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins, who stepped in for the cabinet minister, said Ms Patel was hosting a “long-standing meeting with charities who are on the frontline of tackling violence against women and girls and survivors of these crimes”.Ms Atkins added that Ms Patel would also “reject of the allegations” made by Mr Thomas-Symonds about her conduct, adding: “She has been relentless in pursuing social media companies to ensure they take tougher stances”.On Twitter, Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner also questioned why the home secretary had not made an appearance, saying: “Why haven’t you turned up to Parliament to take questions from MPs on the racism targeted at England players?“Why are you too scared to take responsibility for your actions & apologise for stoking up the racism they’ve faced in recent days?”During the debate, Mr Thomas-Symonds also accused the government of “lacking urgency” and failing to understand the “scale of revulsion that exists as a result of the events of recent days”.In a warning to social media companies, Ms Atkins said: “This House and the public are watching the behaviours of online companies very carefully.“Any company would be very wise to set out what it plans to do in relation to meeting the expectations of this place and the public when it comes to conducting their systems in a way that is clear and prevents the sort of abuse we have seen this weekend.”On football banning orders, announced by the prime minister earlier on Wednesday, Ms Atkins said it is a “complex” issue as “some of the trolls that have targeted some members of the team at the weekend are overseas”.She went on: “We want to very much work with football clubs and others to ensure that these orders have the powers that we all want them to have.” More