MP: British veterans being pressured to not support Legacy Act petition

British veterans are being pressured to not support a petition calling for those who served in Northern Ireland to be protected from prosecution, MPs have heard.

Conservative former minister Sir David Davis said regimental associations have been told to remove references to the petition from their social media feeds, as he warned they risk being “silenced by bureaucratic interference”.

Defence Secretary John Healey pledged to examine the concerns.

The petition on the UK Parliament website, which has received more than 87,000 signatures, is entitled “Protect Northern Ireland veterans from prosecutions”.

It states: “We think that the Government should not make any changes to legislation that would allow Northern Ireland veterans to be prosecuted for doing their duty in combating terrorism as part of ‘Operation Banner’ (1969-2007).”

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, introduced by the previous Conservative government, halted scores of civil cases and inquests into Troubles deaths.

The current Labour Government has pledged to repeal and replace some of the provisions of the contentious legislation.

Sir David, raising a point of order, told the House of Commons: “There was a parliamentary petition put up by a member of the public just over a week ago, a very successful one, that was supported by a large number of regimental associations.

“In the middle of last week an email was sent from the directorate of infantry to regimental headquarters saying ‘with immediate effect’ – that’s highlighted in red – ‘please ensure that all of your communication channels, including Twitter, X etc remove any feeds related to the Northern Ireland Troubles Act announcement and any associated petitions’.

“Regimental associations are there to look after the interests of veterans and support those veterans and defend their interests. It’s not for the MoD (Ministry of Defence) hierarchy to dictate what they can or cannot promote, particularly when it concerns legitimate parliamentary engagement.

“Veterans’ voices must not be silenced by bureaucratic interference so can you advise me whether it’s appropriate to pressure regimental associations to remove content supporting democratic participation?”

Mr Healey replied: “It’s new on me, I have to say. Most regimental associations that I know can’t be pressured by anyone from outside but I’m grateful to him for raising it in the House.

“Anything that interferes with the parliamentary process is something of concern to all members of this House and I will certainly look into it and get back to him.”