Hundreds of soldiers descend on Parliament angry at 'witch hunt' plan that could drag British veterans of the Troubles to court
MPs lined up during an emotional Westminster debate to warn the Prime Minister that pressing ahead would spark a 'witch hunt' that will 'shame our country for decades to come'.
And they branded it outrageous that the overhaul will allow the likes of former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and hundreds of suspected terrorists to claim compensation from the Government over their imprisonment during the conflict.
MPs, who were watched by dozens of veterans in the public gallery in Westminster Hall, urged the Prime Minister to think again about the decision to repeal the Northern Ireland Legacy Act.
It had been introduced by the previous Tory government to stop veterans being hounded with 'vexatious' claims about their actions while on duty decades ago by granting them legal protections against prosecution.
Supporters point out that veterans who killed IRA terrorists faced 'thorough investigations' at the time and so should not be dragged through the process again.
The debate was sparked after more than 170,000 people – surpassing the 100,000 trigger point – signed a petition demanding Sir Keir ditch his plans to repeal the Act.
The Mail's Stop The SAS Betrayal campaign is also pressing the Government to halt its repeal of the Act or instead produce a proper alternative.
John Lamont MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, opened the debate saying that the move would 'shame our country for decades to come'.
He added: 'We have seen a lot of examples of two-tier justice since this Labour Government came to power, but this may simply be the worst of all.
'How do those on the Government benches expect to go back to their constituencies and explain why they had just voted for the prosecution of veterans while allowing terrorists to sue the taxpayer? They know that is not right.'
Former Cabinet minister Sir David Davis accused Sir Keir of 'threatening' veterans in their retirement.
He added: 'It's a matter of justice, a matter of ensuring that those who risked their lives to protect our citizens during the Troubles know the state stands behind them.'
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a Scots Guards veteran who served in Northern Ireland, said: 'If this Act is repealed, then we are left with the single problem that it started with – how do we protect those veterans from vexatious persecution which has been going on?'
The Mail's Stop The SAS Betrayal campaign is also pressing the Government to halt its repeal of the Act or instead produce a proper alternative
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin said: 'The IRA wants to rewrite history. Many of the so-called IRA victims killed were murderers and terrorists. How on earth can anyone stand up to defend these people over our Special Forces?'
Ministers claim the Legacy Act has also halted investigations into the deaths of more than 200 British soldiers, insisting this justifies repealing the legislation and replacing it.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said: 'I recognise the very real fears many veterans have.' Closing the three-hour debate, he said ministers were 'trying to reach an agreement with the Irish government... because doing nothing is not credible'.
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