Latest news with #IndependentCommission
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Troubles veterans won't be forced to give evidence over killings in person
British veterans will not be forced to give evidence over Troubles killings in person, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has insisted. The Government has ditched an effective amnesty for Troubles-era killings, which would have prevented the prosecution of former soldiers. Hilary Benn said Labour had to scrap parts of the Conservatives' Legacy Act after it was struck down by domestic courts for breaking human rights laws that require deaths to be investigated. The Act included a conditional amnesty for Troubles-era killers, soldiers and terrorists alike if they gave information to the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. The commission, which was set up to investigate deaths and promote reconciliation and has the power to summon witnesses, would then report back to families. Whistleblowers would be given effective immunity from later prosecution if they gave a truthful account of their involvement in the crimes. New civil cases and inquests into Troubles-era crimes were stopped on May 1 last year as part of the changes the Act brought in. Labour will 'repeal and replace' the Act, but plans to keep the commission to help victims' families get information, which means elderly veterans could be asked by it to give evidence. Writing for The Telegraph, Mr Benn said there was 'no reason' why former soldiers should be forced to leave home. 'I know that giving evidence to the commission or to any other legacy process about the events of several decades ago can be a daunting prospect, particularly for elderly veterans,' he said. 'With today's technology, there is no reason why those giving evidence in such cases should be forced to travel and stay away from home in order to give evidence.' He promised veterans welfare support and, if appropriate, legal help before they spoke to the commission. Mr Benn admitted 'the prospect of any future prosecutions is vanishingly small'. The Troubles lasted for about 30 years, from the late 1960s to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. More than 3,600 people were killed and there are more than 1,100 unsolved killings. Soldier F, a former paratrooper, is expected to go on trial in September charged with two murders and five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday in 1972. Conservatives accused the Government of introducing 'two-tier justice' in Northern Ireland with its changes to the Tories' 2023 Legacy Act. It ends protections from prosecution for veterans while putting IRA suspects interned in the Troubles, such as Gerry Adams, in line for taxpayer-funded compensation, they said. The Legacy Act was fiercely opposed by all the major parties in Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein and the DUP said it would mean victims' families never get justice. The Irish government took the UK to the European Court of Human Rights in a case that remains active while Labour decides on new legislation. We owe it to those affected by the Troubles to get it right By Hilary Benn Our United Kingdom is today transformed from the place that, for three decades between the late 1960s and 1998, was scarred by terrorist violence. The Troubles tore Northern Ireland apart. And in the early 1970s, the IRA brought their campaign of terror to towns and cities across England. Throughout that terrible period, the professionalism, bravery and sacrifice of our Armed Forces and other security personnel helped to keep people across the United Kingdom safe and to protect life. In doing so, they ultimately helped to bring about peace. I have been honoured to meet with some of them. The Good Friday Agreement enshrined that peace. And alongside the promise of a better tomorrow, it also recognised the need to acknowledge and address the suffering of all those who had lost loved ones. And yet I have met many families who are still – decades on – seeking answers about what happened to their parent, grandparent, partner or child. I know that in many cases, their pain has been compounded by the last government's 2023 Legacy Act and the legal mess it created. That legislation was widely rejected at the time. And last year it was found – repeatedly – to be unlawful by our domestic courts. That was not least because it would have offered immunity from prosecution to terrorists, who were responsible for some 90 per cent of all Troubles-related deaths. Any incoming government would have had to repeal the immunity scheme and other unlawful provisions. It is wrong for any political party to suggest otherwise. That's why it has fallen to this Government to deal with this. We are committed to repeal and replace the Legacy Act in a way that is lawful, fair and that enables all those families to find answers. We will always recognise the extreme circumstances under which our Armed Forces were operating; the split-second judgments that had to be made, and the restraint that was so often required in the face of danger. There will be no rewriting of history. That also means that on those rare occasions where the standards that we rightly expect of our Armed Forces were not upheld, we do not shy away from this. The contrast could not have been starker between the efforts of our Armed Forces who were trying to protect life, and the actions of the terrorist organisations who only ever intended to harm others and cause destruction. And that is why during the Troubles, an estimated 25,000 to 35,000 republican and loyalist paramilitaries were imprisoned for a range of offences, including murder. Sadly, all these years later, the reality is that there are still over 1,100 unsolved killings, including over 200 where service personnel were killed by paramilitaries. Each and every one of these families deserves, as soon as possible, to have a system in place that they can have confidence in. That is why we are not starting again from scratch. Instead, we will retain and significantly reform the independent commission that was established under the Legacy Act, which is already taking forward over 50 investigations, including into the Guildford pub bombing. With the passage of time, the prospect of any future prosecutions is vanishingly small. Indeed, since 2012 there have been only six convictions for Troubles-related deaths, all but one of them of terrorists. This means that for a family approaching the legacy commission, obtaining information about what happened to their loved one will be the most likely outcome. I know that giving evidence to the Commission or to any other legacy process about the events of several decades ago can be a daunting prospect, particularly for elderly veterans. That is why we need to have better protections in place and I am working with the Defence Secretary on this. For instance, with today's technology, there is no reason why those giving evidence in such cases should be forced to travel and stay away from home in order to give evidence. This Government will also continue to support our veterans involved in these processes with welfare and, where appropriate, legal support. As we prepare new legislation, I will continue to discuss this, in all its complexity, with all interested parties. We owe it to those who were affected by the Troubles across the United Kingdom, including our Armed Forces community, to get this right.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Leicester referred to independent commission for alleged 2023-24 PSR breach
Leicester City have been referred to an independent commission by the Premier League for an alleged breach of profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) for 2023-24. The Premier League said in January that although none of its clubs for that period had been charged with a PSR breach, Leicester — who spent last season in the Championship, which is run by the English Football League (EFL) — remained at risk of a sanction. Advertisement The club's most recent accounts, published last month, stated they made a loss of £19.4million ($25.1m) in 2023-24. In the previous seasons, they recorded deficits of £89.5m (2022-23) and £92.5m (2021-22). Premier League clubs can report losses of £105m over a three-year cycle, though there are 'add-backs' that are allowable under the calculations. As well as being referred to the commission for an alleged PSR breach in 2023-24, Leicester have also been referred over the club's obligation to provide accounts to the Premier League by December 31 and to provide full and prompt assistance to the league in responses to its inquiries. As Leicester had moved between divisions during the three-year accounting period, the issue of jurisdiction was looked into by the tribunal, which found the Premier League can investigate the club for alleged breaches 'because the EFL validly transferred responsibility for its investigation to the Premier League in June 2024, when the club was promoted from the Championship', a statement from the Premier League said on Tuesday morning. The statement also said the tribunal found that the Premier League still has jurisdiction to investigate despite Leicester being relegated to the Championship this season. On the referral for the alleged 2023-24 breach, a Leicester statement read: 'Consistent with its previous commitments, the club intends to engage cooperatively in this matter now that the Premier League's jurisdiction has been established for the period ending FY24. However, we will not be able to comment further on these proceedings until they are concluded, due to their confidential nature.' The Premier League amended its PSR rules last month. Among several new rules relating to promoted clubs and the limits on their losses, there was an addition that clubs are still under Premier League jurisdiction until they have satisfied everything under the rules for the season in which they were relegated. Advertisement Premier League clubs are assessed for their adherence to the competition's profitability and sustainability rules each year. Compliance with the rules is assessed by reference to the club's PSR calculation, which is the aggregate of its adjusted earnings before tax for the relevant assessment period. Under the PSR, clubs are allowed to lose a maximum of £105million ($140m) over three seasons (or £35m a season) but certain costs can be deducted, such as investment in youth development, infrastructure, community and women's football. Previously, there were also specific allowances relating to COVID and, to help clubs, the league combined the two pandemic-hit seasons into one, turning the three-year accounting period into four years. Championship clubs, meanwhile, follow similar rules and are permitted to lose up to £39m over a three-season period (or £13m per season). The Premier League, Tuesday's statement said, failed in its attempt to have an appeal board decision over jurisdiction for the 2022-23 period overturned. Though the tribunal found the appeal board decision was wrong, they said it 'was not a perverse interpretation of the law'. Leicester said they were pleased to have defended the challenge over the 2022-23 jurisdiction: 'Although the tribunal may have disagreed with the decision, it dismissed the Premier League's challenge, finding (consistent with the arguments made by the club all along) that the Appeal Board decision 'could not sensibly be seen as resulting from a perverse interpretation of the law.'
Reuters
20-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Premier League refers Leicester to independent commission over alleged rule breach
LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - The Premier League on Tuesday said it had referred Leicester City to an independent commission for an alleged breach of spending rules in the 2023-24 season, though a tribunal ruled the club cannot face further action over a similar breach in the 2022-23 campaign. Leicester, who were playing in the second-tier Championship during the 2023-24 season, had allegedly breached the English Football League's Profitability and Sustainability rules, the Premier League said in a statement. The Premier League added that an Arbitration Tribunal had decided that it had jurisdiction to investigate the club's breaches of EFL rules. The EFL is responsible for administering the three tiers below the Premier League. "... the EFL validly transferred responsibility for its investigation to the Premier League in June 2024, when the club was promoted from the Championship," the league said in a statement. "The Premier League continues to have jurisdiction even though Leicester City will be relegated to the Championship at the end of this season." In a statement, Leicester said they intended "to engage cooperatively" after the Premier League's jurisdiction was established. Leicester were first referred to an independent commission for a PSR breach in March last year over their finances in the 2022-23 season. In September, Leicester won their appeal against the Premier League, with the club appealing on the basis that an independent commission ruling on the case did not have jurisdiction, which was upheld by an independent appeal board. The decision came on the grounds that Leicester's accounting period ended on June 30, 2023, when the club was no longer a member of the Premier League following their relegation to the second tier the previous month. Premier League clubs are only allowed to lose up to 105 million pounds ($140.37 million) over a three-season period under the PSR rules, and both Everton and Nottingham Forest were given points deductions. The appeals board concluded that the point of time at which Leicester allegedly exceeded the loss threshold could not have come before June 30, and any losses could, in part, result from their trading activities after they ceased to be a Premier League club. The outcome of that appeal was challenged by the Premier League, saying the decision was the result of a perverse interpretation of the law, but that challenge was dismissed by the tribunal. ($1 = 0.7480 pounds)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Premier League takes action against Leicester over alleged financial breaches
Leicester say they will 'engage cooperatively in this matter. Leicester say they will 'engage cooperatively in this matter. Photograph:The Premier League has referred Leicester City to an independent commission for alleged breaches of the EFL's profitability and sustainability rules for the 2023-24 season. Leicester are also accused of alleged breaches of their obligation to provide their annual accounts to the Premier League by 31 December 2024 and to provide 'full, complete and prompt assistance' to the Premier League in response to the league's inquiries. Advertisement Leicester say they will 'engage cooperatively in this matter'. The Premier League said it had jurisdiction even though Leicester have been relegated to the Championship. Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'. If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you're on the most recent version. In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications. Turn on sport notifications. • More details soon …
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Premier League takes action against Leicester over alleged financial breaches
The Premier League has referred Leicester City to an independent commission for alleged breaches of the EFL's profitability and sustainability rules for the 2023-24 season. Leicester are also accused of alleged breaches of their obligation to provide their annual accounts to the Premier League by 31 December 2024 and to provide 'full, complete and prompt assistance' to the Premier League in response to the league's inquiries. Leicester say they will 'engage cooperatively in this matter'. The Premier League said it had jurisdiction even though Leicester have been relegated to the Championship. More details soon …
