The Labour government in Britain has formally committed to repealing the controversial Troubles Legacy Act in a speech delivered by King Charles following the state opening of parliament.
The king’s speech is an opportunity for the new government to lay out its legislative plans.
It had been widely expected this pledge would be included in the speech given Labour’s long-standing commitment to repeal the legislation.
In a briefing note provided by the UK government, it acknowledged that the Legacy Act “denies justice to the families and victims of the Troubles”.
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Specifically, it says it will “repeal the conditional immunity scheme” of the Act, the most controversial part of the legislation, which gave immunity to former British soldiers and others for acts committed during the Troubles.
This was removed from the legislation earlier this year as a result of a judgment in the High Court in Belfast.
The British government says it will reverse the policy prohibiting victims and their families from taking civil claims and it will set out steps to allow the resumption of Troubles-era inquests to resume. It will also “explore options to strengthen the independence” of Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
“Further legislation will follow after consultation with the Northern Ireland political parties, the Irish Government and all communities in Northern Ireland,” said the British government.
In its guidance note attached to the king’s speech, the British government also name checks Taoiseach Simon Harris for his welcome of previous Labour promises to repeal the Act.
The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act, which became law last year, was introduced by the-then Conservative government in 2020.
It ended previous methods of investigating Troubles killings and replaced them with a new investigative body, the ICRIR.
It was widely opposed, including by victims and survivors of the Troubles and the North’s five largest political parties, and is the subject of legal challenge by the Irish Government in the European Court of Human Rights.
On visits to Belfast immediately following the party’s landslide election win earlier this month, both the prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the Northern Secretary, Hilary Benn, said they would “repeal and replace” the Act and stressed the “urgency” with which they would address it and that the ICRIR would “have to demonstrate to victims’ families” it can provide answers.
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