Latest news with #publicinquiry
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Mull of Kintyre crash: Wife's 'anger' at 1994 helicopter tragedy
The wife of a senior police officer killed in an RAF Chinook helicopter crash in 1994 has said she is still "angry" at the government's stance on the Susan Phoenix's husband Ian was among leading security personnel killed when the helicopter went down in foggy conditions over the Mull of Kintyre in of the 29 people killed have said they are launching legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for not ordering a public inquiry. The government has said the crash was a "tragic accident".Dr Phoenix, 77, who now lives in Portland, Dorset, said the case had been an "obscenity of justice". The helicopter was carrying 25 passengers - made up of personnel from MI5, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the Army - and four crew from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to a conference at Fort George near Inverness on 2 June the crash, pilots Flt Lt Jonathan Tapper, from Norfolk, and Flt Lt Richard Cook, from Hampshire, were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the UK government 17 years later.A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out "numerous concerns" raised by those who worked on the MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declared the Chinook Mk2 helicopters "unairworthy" prior to the crash. Dr Phoenix, whose husband Ian was a detective superintendent in the RUC, has joined with other families to campaign for a "judge-led objective inquiry"."It really is heart breaking. We stuck in there and fought for the pilots - who were the cream of the air force and trying to make do with a faulty piece of kit," she said."We now know the aircraft was not airworthy, but the government are constantly re-iterating that it was just a tragic accident."Whatever happened on that night we may never know that, but we certainly know they should not have been flying it and they did not want to fly it."The families of the victims want a High Court judge to review information that they say was not included in previous investigations and could offer new information on the airworthiness of the Phoenix said the tragedy had been "locked up in cover up" over the 31 years since the crash."I wasn't even angry at the time. I was consumed in heart-wrenching grief," she said."Now listening to the young families paying tribute to their fathers... so now I'm angry."Let's give these young people back a sense of pride - they knew their dads were doing great jobs. "We though our men would be protected by the government - they weren't."The MoD has said that records held in The National Archives contain personal information and early release of those documents would breach their data protection MoD spokesperson said: "The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
UK government faces inquiry into appointment of new independent football regulator chair
The UK government faces a 'full inquiry' into the handling of its proposed appointment of the new chairman of the independent football regulator, David Kogan. Focus will fall on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which received an email addressed to Permanent Secretary, Susannah Storey last Thursday (May 29) from the Commissioner for Public Appointments, William Shawcross, who is likely to interview both Kogan and the secretary of state, Lisa Nandy, during his investigations. Advertisement Shawcross decided to proceed with an inquiry after initial 'spot checks' raised unspecified concerns about the process. Kogan, 67, was not on the initial three-person shortlist for the role but was recommended by Nandy after more than two decades negotiating TV rights sales on behalf of the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Women's Super League. Nandy named Kogan as her choice to chair the regulator in April and on May 9 he was revealed as the preferred candidate, with a report from the DCMS 'recognising his vast experience in the football and media sectors'. Shawcross, 79, was appointed to his role in 2021 following a long career in broadcasting and writing, which included a biography of media magnate Rupert Murdoch. It is his responsibility to provide independent assurance that public hires are made in accordance with a governance code that include principles such as integrity, merit, openness, diversity and fairness. Once the inquiry has been completed, Shawcross will advise whether the appointment process has followed certain guidelines. He does not have the power to decide what happens next but his findings will influence the credibility of any government decision about how it proceeds. A DCMS spokesperson said: 'We have received the letter from the Commissioner for Public Appointments and we look forward to co-operating fully with his office. The appointment is in the process of being ratified in the usual way.' Kogan started his career as a journalist and set up a media advisory company called Reel Enterprises in 1997, and this became the go-to advisor for any league or governing body trying to maximise the value of its broadcast rights. He sold Reel Enterprises to media company Wasserman in 2011 but has continued to work with clients including the English Football League, International Olympic Committee, Premier League and the NFL on their rights auctions, as well as advising companies such as CNN and the New York Times on their digital strategies. Advertisement Since 2022, Kogan has made nine donations to Labour candidates and the party itself, totalling more than £33,000. He has also written two books about the party's history. Kogan also applied for the role of independent football regulator chair in 2024 when the Conservative government attempted to get its version of the Football Governance Bill through parliament. However, Rishi Sunak called an election in the summer and the Conservatives ran out of time to pass the legislation while in office. A fan-led review called for the introduction of a regulator in November 2021 in the wake of the failed European Super League proposals, and the government announced plans to create one in February 2023. It will be tasked with ensuring the financial stability and sustainability of professional football in England, and will be independent from the government and football authorities.
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Families of Chinook crash victims to launch legal action against MoD
The families of those killed in a Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994 have said they are beginning legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for not ordering a public inquiry. They want a High Court judge to be able to review information which they say was not included in previous investigations, and which they believe will shed new light on the airworthiness of the helicopter. RAF Chinook ZD576 was carrying 25 British intelligence personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to a conference at Fort George near Inverness when it crashed in foggy weather on June 2, 1994. All 25 passengers – made up of personnel from MI5, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army – were killed, along with the helicopter's four crew members. The families of the victims, who have coalesced into the Chinook Justice Campaign, said failing to order a public inquiry is a breach of the UK Government's human rights obligations. In a letter to the Government 31 years after the crash, the group said: 'The investigations conducted to date, whether considered individually or in combination, have failed to discharge the investigative duty.' They have also called for the release of documents that were sealed at the time of the crash for 100 years, something revealed in a BBC documentary last year. Solicitor Mark Stephens, who is representing the families, said: 'In this case, the families of those who were killed have seen more than enough evidence to convince them, and us, that there was a failure by the MoD to apply appropriate safeguards in order to protect the passengers and crew. 'In fact, they were put on board an aircraft that was known to be positively dangerous and should never have taken off. 'That is why we are seeking a judicial review into the Government's failure to hold a public inquiry – which the families have sought for more than a year.' Following the crash, the Chinook's pilots, Flight Lieutenants Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper, were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the UK Government 17 years later, following a campaign by the families. A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out 'numerous concerns' raised by those who worked on the Chinooks, with the MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declaring the Chinook Mk2 helicopters 'unairworthy' prior to the crash. Esme Sparks, who was seven years old when her father Major Gary Sparks was killed in the crash, said: 'We don't want to have to take legal action against the Government and MoD but we do want and need answers surrounding the circumstance of this crash. 'We want to know who or what is being protected? Who made the decision to let this helicopter take off? What is being hidden? In our view, a public inquiry is key.' Andy Tobias, who was eight when his father, Lt Col John Tobias, 41, was killed, said: 'It's clear to me that a complete lack of duty of care was given to those passengers because they got on a Chinook that wasn't fit for flight. 'And really, the government need to show their duty of candour and really be open and transparent about what's in those documents and give us the opportunity to really understand anything that's in them that could give us more answers about what happened.' The MoD said that records held in The National Archives contain personal information and early release of those documents would breach their data protection rights. An MoD spokesperson said: 'The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Chinook families to launch legal action against MoD
Families of those killed in an RAF Chinook helicopter crash in 1994 have said they are launching legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for not ordering a public inquiry. Four crew and 25 passengers were killed when the helicopter went down in foggy conditions over the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. The helicopter was carrying leading security personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to a conference at Fort George near Inverness. The families of the victims want a High Court judge to review information which they say was not included in previous investigations. They believe it will offer new information on the airworthiness of the helicopter. All 25 passengers - made up of personnel from MI5, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army - were killed, along with the helicopter's four crew members. The families of the victims, who have formed the Chinook Justice Campaign, said failing to order a public inquiry is a breach of the UK government's human rights obligations. In a letter to the government, the group said: "The investigations conducted to date, whether considered individually or in combination, have failed to discharge the investigative duty." Thirty-one years after, the group have also called for the release of documents that were sealed at the time of the crash for 100 years, as revealed in a BBC documentary last year. The solicitor representing the families said there is enough evidence to convince the families that there was "a failure by the MoD to apply appropriate safeguards in order to protect the passengers and crew". Solicitor Mark Stephens added: "In fact, they were put on board an aircraft that was known to be positively dangerous and should never have taken off. "That is why we are seeking a judicial review into the government's failure to hold a public inquiry - which the families have sought for more than a year." After the crash, pilots Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper, were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the UK government 17 years later. A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out "numerous concerns" raised by those who worked on the Chinooks. The MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declared the Chinook Mk2 helicopters "unairworthy" prior to the crash. Esme Sparks, who was seven years old when her father Major Gary Sparks lost his life, said: "We don't want to have to take legal action against the government and MoD but we do want and need answers surrounding the circumstance of this crash. "We want to know who or what is being protected? Who made the decision to let this helicopter take off? What is being hidden? In our view, a public inquiry is key." The MoD said that records held in The National Archives contain personal information and early release of those documents would breach their data protection rights. An MoD spokesperson said: "The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died." Chinook crash families call for release of 100-year sealed file Grief and pain 30 years after Chinook disaster RAF Chinook: Anger over lack of 30th anniversary memorial
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
RAF Chinook: Families of victims to launch legal action against MoD
Families of those killed in an RAF Chinook helicopter crash in 1994 have said they are launching legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for not ordering a public inquiry. Four crew and 25 passengers were killed when the helicopter went down in foggy conditions over the Mull of Kintyre in helicopter was carrying leading security personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to a conference at Fort George near families of the victims want a High Court judge to review information which they say was not included in previous investigations. They believe it will offer new information on the airworthiness of the helicopter. All 25 passengers - made up of personnel from MI5, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army - were killed, along with the helicopter's four crew families of the victims, who have formed the Chinook Justice Campaign, said failing to order a public inquiry is a breach of the UK government's human rights a letter to the government, the group said: "The investigations conducted to date, whether considered individually or in combination, have failed to discharge the investigative duty."Thirty-one years after, the group have also called for the release of documents that were sealed at the time of the crash for 100 years, as revealed in a BBC documentary last year. 'Should never have taken off' The solicitor representing the families said there is enough evidence to convince the families that there was "a failure by the MoD to apply appropriate safeguards in order to protect the passengers and crew". Solicitor Mark Stephens added: "In fact, they were put on board an aircraft that was known to be positively dangerous and should never have taken off."That is why we are seeking a judicial review into the government's failure to hold a public inquiry - which the families have sought for more than a year."After the crash, pilots Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper, were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the UK government 17 years later.A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out "numerous concerns" raised by those who worked on the MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declared the Chinook Mk2 helicopters "unairworthy" prior to the crash. 'What is being hidden?' Esme Sparks, who was seven years old when her father Major Gary Sparks lost his life, said: "We don't want to have to take legal action against the government and MoD but we do want and need answers surrounding the circumstance of this crash."We want to know who or what is being protected? Who made the decision to let this helicopter take off? What is being hidden? In our view, a public inquiry is key."The MoD said that records held in The National Archives contain personal information and early release of those documents would breach their data protection MoD spokesperson said: "The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died."
