Keir Starmer is facing fierce backlash over plans to repeal sections of the Northern Ireland Troubles Act, which would pave the way for former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to claim taxpayer-funded compensation.
The decision, which senior peers and victims of IRA bombings have branded “unacceptable,” follows a Northern Ireland high court ruling that declared the legislation incompatible with human rights laws.
As reported in the Telegraph, Starmer’s move overturns a law introduced by the Conservatives to block Mr Adams and up to 400 other IRA suspects from claiming compensation for their imprisonment in the 1970s.
Outrage from Victims and Peers
The repeal has sparked anger among victims of IRA violence and high-profile figures in the Lords. Suzanne Dodd, whose police officer father was killed in the IRA Harrods bombing in 1983, told the Telegraph:
“Considering the IRA victims have not received any compensation, how could Gerry Adams get compensation? My father was killed 41 years ago and it is highly unacceptable to hear that.”
A report published by the think tank Policy Exchange and signed by 16 leading peers, including Lord West, former Labour security minister, and Lord MacDonald, former director of public prosecutions, slammed the government’s decision.
The peers warned that repealing the law would lead to “meritless litigation” and undermine reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland. Lord Hope, a former deputy president of the Supreme Court, called the decision “wholly inappropriate” and urged Parliament not to surrender “its sovereign authority.”
Compensation for Adams
Mr Adams, who denies being a member of the IRA, was detained in the Maze prison in the 1970s for suspected involvement in terrorism. His 1975 conviction for attempting to escape was quashed in 2020 by the Supreme Court, which ruled his detention unlawful because his custody order had not been signed by the secretary of state.
Sections 46 and 47 of the 2023 Northern Ireland Troubles Act had reversed the Supreme Court’s ruling, preventing compensation payouts. The legislation was supported by Labour in opposition at the time.
However, Labour abandoned its appeal against the Northern Ireland high court’s ruling in 2023, and Starmer’s government is now moving to repeal the provisions.
‘Inexplicable and Unjustifiable’
Critics argue the decision could reopen legal claims from hundreds of former IRA suspects, costing taxpayers millions. As reported in the Telegraph article, Richard Ekins, professor of law at the University of Oxford, said:
“The Government’s decision to change the law is inexplicable and unjustifiable. It will reopen the door to a wave of meritless litigation… This is an unjust and wasteful use of public money.”
Lord Wolfson, the shadow attorney general, accused the government of undermining Parliament:
“Parliament must now ask hard questions about why the Government is determined to override its recent, unanimous decision to block Gerry Adams from being paid public money.”
Legacy of the Troubles
The repeal forms part of Labour’s manifesto to overturn the Legacy Act, which offers conditional immunity to suspects in Troubles-era crimes and ends the prosecution of soldiers for their actions in Northern Ireland.
The controversy continues to grow, with critics warning that Labour’s plans could not only risk reopening old wounds but also place an unjust financial burden on the British public.
Source: Telegraph
Main Photo: Irish Politician Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin in 2015. Source: Wikipedia public photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sinnfeinireland/19925875070/. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Prime Minister Keir Starmer Photo: Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
