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Clonoe Inquest 2025-04-02

02 April 2025

Lead MP

David Davis

Debate Type

Adjournment Debate

Tags

DefenceNorthern Ireland
Other Contributors: 7

At a Glance

David Davis raised concerns about clonoe inquest 2025-04-02 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

Opened the debate
I thank the Secretary of State for his presence. The right to life is paramount, and justice must be fair and practical. The Clonoe incident was ruled as unlawful by a Northern Ireland coroner, but this ruling neither upholds justice nor provides clarity. Operation Banner spanned from 1969 to 2007 with over 300,000 soldiers serving in Northern Ireland under the yellow card rules which required issuing a challenge before lethal force could be used unless immediate danger was present. The IRA members were terrorists who targeted civilians and committed murder without warning. They never carried a yellow card and engaged in criminal activities ranging from smuggling to extortion. The self-styled East Tyrone brigade planned an attack on Coalisland police station, armed with heavy machine guns and Kalashnikov rifles. The SAS intended to arrest the IRA members before they could mount their weapons on vehicles but were caught off guard when the lorry-mounted DShK attacked the police station. The soldiers faced heavily armed terrorists who had just attempted to murder policemen, making it unreasonable to issue a challenge under such circumstances.

Government Response

DefenceNorthern Ireland
Government Response
No ministerial response was given in the provided transcript. The debate concluded with David Davis's speech without any government response being recorded. There was no ministerial response provided in the given transcript. The Secretary of State welcomed the opportunity to respond and thanked the right hon. Member for securing the debate. He outlined the findings of the coroner in the Clonoe inquest, where soldiers were found to have used lethal force unjustifiably. The Ministry of Defence is considering a judicial review due to concerns over the context and circumstances under which soldiers served in Northern Ireland. The Secretary acknowledged the independence of the judiciary but expressed the Government's commitment to repeal and replace the Troubles Act 2023, as it has been found unlawful by domestic courts. The Government is committed to proposing measures for inquests halted by this legislation to proceed. He emphasised the trauma caused by the findings among veterans who served during Operation Banner, expressing his understanding of their perspectives and commitments to fair treatment. He mentioned ongoing efforts by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains to reunite remains with families, including Robert Nairac's case. The Secretary addressed concerns about the previous Government’s approach and its impact on trust in addressing legacy issues fairly. He reiterated the need for mechanisms that are compliant with human rights and capable of commanding public confidence across communities. I would like to give the right hon. Gentleman an assurance that when parliamentary time allows, I plan to bring forward legislation to try to find a way forward. The House will be the judge when the legislation is published. I am consulting widely on it and will continue to do so, including with veterans and others. I am not naive about the prospect of coming up with proposals that command widespread support, but I would simply observe that the last set of proposals signally failed to command support among the political parties and many people in Northern Ireland. We owe a great debt of attitude to those who served in Operation Banner with such distinction. The true legacy of those who served during that awful period is to be found in the peace that the people of Northern Ireland now enjoy. If we are being honest, the armed forces did their job. The Good Friday agreement was not able to get to grips with exactly how legacy would be dealt with. We as elected representatives have to recognise that since the signing of the Good Friday agreement, we have not been able to agree and implement measures that effectively address the legacy of the past in a way that is balanced, proportionate, transparent, fair and equitable, and that have a chance of commanding a measure of public support. That is the objective of the Government. I will do my best to achieve it, but the House will be the judge.
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