In the recent state opening of the British Parliament, King Charles gave a speech in which he confirmed that the Labour government plans to abolish the contentious Troubles Legacy Act, a move that many had expected considering Labour’s history of opposition to the legislation. The government’s speech, provided by King Charles, serves as a platform to discuss their future legislative agenda.
The UK government previously corroborated that the Legacy Act inhibits justice for the victims and their families affected by the Troubles, thus revealing their intention to annul the act. Particularly, the government has conveyed its aspiration to negate the “conditional immunity scheme” incorporated in the Act. This controversial segment of the legislation had been granting immunity to ex-British soldiers and others intertwined in the Troubles.
Earlier this year, as a response to a ruling in the High Court in Belfast, this immunity law had been excluded from the legislation. The government conversely disclosed its plans to permit victims and their bereaved families to take out civil claims and proposed strategies to recommence inquests linked to the Troubles. Concurrently, they have expressed their intentions to examine possibilities for enhancing the independence of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
The UK Government confirmed that subsequent legislation is expected following consultations with Irish Government, political factions in Northern Ireland and all communities therein. In the guidelines linked to the King’s speech, the British government acknowledged Taoiseach Simon Harris’ support of Labour’s preceding vows to repeal the Act.
Introduced by the Conservative government in 2020, the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act replaced existing methods for probing Troubles-linked fatalities with a new investigative entity, the ICRIR. The implementation of the Act last year faced criticism, with the five major political parties in the North, victims and survivors of the Troubles opposing it. As a result, the Irish Government has contested it legally in the European Court of Human Rights.
Following the recent overwhelming electoral victory of their party, both Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Northern Secretary Hilary Benn paid a prompt visit to Belfast. Both figures mentioned that they plan to “overhaul and substitute” the current Act. They particularly highlighted the “immediacy” required in dealing with this Act. They insisted that the ICRIR is obliged to prove to the bereaved families of victims that it has the ability to deliver solutions.