Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to find “every conceivable way” to prevent former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams from receiving compensation. Adams is currently blocked, along with around 400 other people, from claiming compensation for unlawful detention due to the Legacy Act. Labour has started the process of repealing the act, but several peers have criticised the move to lift the ban.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Sir Keir said the act was “unfit” because it was not supported by victims or political parties. Several peers have backed a report by Policy Exchange, which criticised repealing the act. If the act is repealed, it is thought Mr Adams would pursue compensation, which could result in a six-figure payout for both his unlawful detention and attempts to escape.
The Legacy Act was the government’s controversial attempt to “draw a line” under the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It was first proposed by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021 as a solution to ending what he called “vexatious prosecutions” of former soldiers. It was passed in 2023, but was opposed by victims’ groups and all the main political parties in Northern Ireland. The act created a new legacy body known as the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) to take over all Troubles-era cases from 1 May 2024, including those on the desk of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and shut down all historical inquests.
A clause in the act currently blocks payouts to Mr Adams and around 400 others who were interned without trial in the 1970s. The offer of conditional immunity to suspects was also disputed and was dis-applied following legal action by bereaved families. The court ruled this part of the act was incompatible with human rights’ legislation and the Windsor Framework. Labour pledged to repeal the Legacy Act if they won the general election in July and formally began the process in December.
Lord Harley was challenged after it was discovered he had acted as legal representative for Mr Adams. He said he was not “inclined” to answer questions about how he was remunerated for his work. Harley said he had represented Adams on something unconnected to the legacy at the same time he was representing the family of a young British soldier murdered by the IRA in the 1970s.
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