THE British government has shown “contempt for victims who suffered at the hands of its state forces”, North Belfast MP John Finucane has claimed after the Secretary of State announced what he called a “substantial package of amendments” to its Troubles legacy legislation.
The Sinn Féin MP made the claim after Hilary Benn said the new amendments to the bill would “improve the process for victims and families” and “further safeguard veterans”. He said unlike the previous Conservative government's controversial Legacy Act, the new bill “does not offer immunity”.
Hitting back Mr Finucane said the bill “displays no thought or empathy for families, but rather is designed to placate the British military lobby and the interests of security and intelligence agencies”.
“Agencies and a lobby which have shown in the past to be interested in nothing other than protecting the interests of the British state and their actors," he said.
“The only way this can be viewed is as an act of extreme political cynicism as the British Labour Party watches its electoral base crumble ahead of next month’s elections.
“The British government has reneged on its previous legacy commitments in pursuit of votes and in the process will attempt to bury the secrets of Britain’s war in Ireland at whatever cost."
The Sinn Féin man said that families who have spent decades fighting for truth and justice for their loved ones will have their “confidence further eroded by the disgraceful actions of the British government”.
“It is incumbent on the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Irish government to speak out against what is clearly a disdainful diversion from their joint legacy framework.”
