Jeremy Corbyn has angered supporters of British veterans after saying former soldiers should face prosecution for incidents during the Troubles, days after a former paratrooper was charged with murder over Bloody Sunday.
The Labour leader told Sophy Ridge on Sunday that the ‘law must apply to everyone’, and denied that there was a discrepancy between the investigations into soldiers after Republican suspects were sent ‘comfort letters’ offering effective immunity from prosecution.
Matthew Jury, of McCue & Partners, who is representing the families of the victims of the Hyde Park bombings, told MailOnline: ‘Shamefully, Corbyn and co continue to stand by Blair’s outrageous decision to do a back-room deal with the IRA to grant terrorists on-the-run effective amnesty – and remember, whatever their protestations, this was not a part of the Good Friday Agreement.
‘All the while they sermonise about no one being above the law. They can’t have it both ways.
‘If they’re going to demonise and pillory Britain’s veterans, then they must also back, not only an unequivocal revocation of the on-the-run letters, but a swooping up of the terrorists themselves to finally face justice.’
Jeremy Corbyn said the ‘law must apply to everyone’, and denied that there was a discrepancy between the investigations into soldiers after Republican suspects were sent ‘comfort letters’ offering effective immunity. Pictured: Youths confront soldiers during Bloody Sunday in 1972
It came after the Public Prosecution Service controversially decided to prosecute a man, known as Soldier F, for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney at the civil rights march in Londonderry in 1972.
The decision sparked anger among former servicemen, who pointed out former British soldiers were facing prosecution while IRA men got off Scot free.
Alan Barry, founder of Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans, said: ‘Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, veterans are being left open to prosecution while terrorists have been cleansed of their past crimes.’
Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Corbyn said: ‘The law must apply to everyone, and I don’t think we should have statutory limitations on this.’
Mr Corbyn said today: ‘The law must apply to everyone, and I don’t think we should have statutory limitations on this’
Mr Corbyn said ‘we should have a fair and proper judicial process’ and said what happened on Bloody Sunday was ‘awful and appalling’.
He added: ‘I do think it’s important to have the independence of a legal process, and there has to be an insurance that everyone has to abide by the law.’
He was pressed on whether it was fair given how those members of the IRA suspected of crimes were offered an amnesty in the Northern Irish peace process.
The Labour leader replied: ‘The Good Friday Agreement was important, seminal and complicated, but it does not provide complete immunity for everyone, it was never intended to.’
Shami Chakrabarti criticised the comments of Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson in support of Soldier F, when he said the Government would pay his full legal costs and added: ‘Our serving and former personnel cannot live in constant fear of prosecution.’
She told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show she approves of anyone accused of serious crimes getting ‘full, complete five-star legal aid’.
Soldier F will be charged with the murders of James Wray (left) and William McKinney (right) on Bloody Sunday. Mr Wray, 22, was shot twice in the back. Mr McKinney was film-maker who recorded scenes from the march before the shooting started
But she added: ‘It’s not about wannabe prime ministers who are currently Defence Secretary giving coded messages of support to one defendant or another, its about saying anybody who’s been charged with murder, which is the most serious offence in our law, should get the best possible defence and it should be paid for by the state.’
Asked about Mr Williamson’s suggestion to change the law end prevent soldiers being charged, she said: ‘I don’t think we can do that if we believe in the rule of law.’
Baroness Chakrabarti said it would start a ‘very dangerous precedent if we started granted blanket immunities to anybody in a particular role or profession’.
Former paratrooper charged with murder while IRA terrorists go free
It was announced on Thursday that a former serviceman, named only as ‘Soldier F’, will stand trial for the murders of two men during the Bloody Sunday shooting in 1972 and the attempted murders of four others.
The prosecution has sparked a political row, with Armed Forces groups saying soldiers who served their country are facing investigation while IRA members avoid action under so-called ‘comfort letters’.
Alan Barry, founder of Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans, said: ‘Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, veterans are being left open to prosecution while terrorists have been cleansed of their past crimes.’
Two children hold pictures of Bloody Sunday victims James Wray and William McKinney during a vigil in West Belfast Northern Ireland on Thursday
At the same time as Soldier F’s prosecution was announced this morning, authorities revealed that two alleged Official IRA members would face no criminal action.
In the wake of this morning’s landmark decision to prosecute the soldier, MPs accused the government of failing to do enough to protect those who fought in the Army.
Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams waded into the row, saying more soldiers should be prosecuted and throwing his weight behind a protest just over the Irish border in Dundalk.
Soldier F is one of 17 former members of the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment who were investigated over the violence which left 13 people dead in Londonderry in 1972.
The sixteen other British military veterans who were investigated over Bloody Sunday will not face action, it was announced this morning.
Fresh graffiti appeared on Thursday on the ‘Free Derry’ road sign after the announcement by Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service that only one former paratrooper is to be prosecuted
Soldier F is now thought to be in his 70s and faces trial for the alleged murders of James Wray and William McKinney and the alleged attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O’Donnell.
Critics of the decision point out that around 200 IRA fugitives, thought to be behind a series of terror attacks during the Troubles, were sent so-called ‘comfort letters’, assuring them they were no longer suspects.
The British government said it will support Soldier F and cover all of his legal costs, with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson praising the ‘courage and distinction’ of those who fought in Northern Ireland.
John Kelly, whose 17-year-old brother Michael was shot dead, and Alana Burke, who was injured, reacted tearfully to Thursday’s decision
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