Listen: Political parties meet with Brandon Lewis

By Q Radio News

Political parties have met with the Secretary of State this morning to discuss the controversial plans for a statute of limitations on Troubles related offences.

Politicians from across the political divide are united in opposing the plans that would see an end to all prosecutions of incidents that occurred before 1998.

Political parties are set to meet with the Secretary of State this morning following controversial plans for a statute of limitations on Troubles related offenceshttps://t.co/D5FPJTA2Uc

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 16, 2021

Speaking after the meeting, Justice Minister Naomi Long told Q Radio that the entire basis of the Stormont House agreement is in jeopardy.

She said: "The question remains whether the Stormont House Agreement itself is off the table given that the government has dismissed it this week as unworkable and whether the issue of criminal justice and prosecutions are off the table?"

She added: "To be absolutely clear we have said that we will continue to engage but it will be on the basis that the only we can move forward in northern has to be one where the integrity of the justice system and the primacy of the needs of victims are key to shaping that process."

Mrs Long also said that the Alliance party will "not provide cover for anything that amounts to an amnesty" and she said they also would not take part in a process that is "simply thee to re-distribute blame".

Speaking ahead of this morning's meeting, Colum Eastwood, leader of the SDLP said: 

"The British government’s proposals to effectively stop all access to truth and justice for victims of the troubles is beneath contempt. It is the most immoral act that any government could have made in this situation. They are closing down the route to justice.

"That in my view means they will close down the route to truth.

"It has to be resisted by all parties. All parties say they’re against it. All victims groups are against it. I think everybody in society is against it.

"We will work with whoever we have to work with  to try to resist it.

"And We will work strongly in Westminster to try to make sure that this does not become legislation."
And Sinn Fein's policing spokesman, Gerry Kelly, said that his party would also be resisting the planned amnesty.

He said: The only way to deal with these issues is through the Stormont House agreement. Which was an an agreement by all the political parties here. By the two governments, including the current British government at this time.

"Families who have been fighting for the past 50 years some of them are not prepared to accept this. They have already been out on the streets fighting against this and they will not allow this to happen."

Meanwhile deputy leader of the SDLP, Nichola Mallon, led the charge to recall Stormont next week in order to urgently address the deepening crisis.

23 signatures so far for our Assembly recall petition. Only 7 more required. Hoping all parties will join us in making this happen to send an unequivocal message to @BorisJohnson that he can't impose this amnesty and continue with this cruelty against victims & survivors.

— Nichola Mallon (@NicholaMallon) July 15, 2021

She said: "The British Government’s intervention is a brutal assault on victims and survivors and it must be opposed. To shut down justice and close off avenues for truth and reconciliation by providing an amnesty to state agents and paramilitaries involved in the most serious troubles related crimes, including murder, is absolutely abhorrent. These proposals are hostile to the interests of victims and survivors, they are opposed by all Executive parties and the British Government must withdraw them now."

(Under the proposals, no one would be prosecuted for Troubles-era unsolved killings)

Meanwhile,

The Northern Ireland Assembly is to be recalled from summer recess to discuss plans by the Westminster Government to introduce a statute of limitations on Troubles prosecutions.

More than 30 MLAs have signed the recall petition and will meet on Tuesday.

MLAs will debate a motion calling for victims and survivors to have a “full, material and central role and input into the content and design of structures to address the legacy of the past”.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said there were “robust conversations” in a meeting between Brandon Lewis and Northern Ireland political parties over Government plans to introduce a statute of limitations for Troubles prosecutions.

Sir Jeffrey said: “It was a fairly robust conversation. Each of us outlined our views on the way forward in relation to legacy.

“We recognise that these are very difficult and sensitive matters.

“This morning I have been meeting with some of the groups here representing innocent victims from across Northern Ireland. They are very concerned by the Government’s proposals for what they believe amounts to some form of amnesty.

“They believe passionately that the opportunity for victims and families to pursue justice should not be closed off and that view was replicated in the comments made by party leaders this morning.”

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said any process for dealing with legacy in Northern Ireland had to be “victim focused”.

Following a meeting with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis, he said: “We want a process on legacy which includes an opportunity for those families and for those victims that want to take that route to pursue justice.

“It is not just about truth, it is not just about information recovery, it is about having the opportunity for individuals and families to pursue justice for their loved ones.

“So, the Secretary of State is reflecting on that, there will be further discussions over the summer period of legacy. We seek to try and get agreement on the way forward here, but I feel it is not just a question of what we the political parties want to see happening, but also this process must be victim focused.

“Victims should have their voice heard and the Secretary of State has given a commitment that he will be reaching out to the representatives of victims to hear what they have to say.

“Time is of the essence here. Many of the victims, many of the survivors, are in their latter years, and with every year that passes evidence opportunities diminish, the prospect of prosecutions also diminishes. So we really need to get this right, but we also have to move forward quickly.”

Meanwhile,

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said there were “robust conversations” in a meeting between Brandon Lewis and Northern Ireland political parties over Government plans to introduce a statute of limitations for Troubles prosecutions.

Sir Jeffrey said: “It was a fairly robust conversation. Each of us outlined our views on the way forward in relation to legacy.

🎥 DUP leader @J_Donaldson_MP says there were “robust conversations” in a meeting between Brandon Lewis and NI political parties over government plans to introduce a statute of limitations for Troubles prosecutions.

He said they made clear all proposals must be victim centred. pic.twitter.com/btfYZ7CTyA

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 16, 2021

“We recognise that these are very difficult and sensitive matters.

“This morning I have been meeting with some of the groups here representing innocent victims from across Northern Ireland. They are very concerned by the Government’s proposals for what they believe amounts to some form of amnesty.

“They believe passionately that the opportunity for victims and families to pursue justice should not be closed off and that view was replicated in the comments made by party leaders this morning.”

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said her party would not “provide cover for anything” that amounts to an amnesty over Troubles prosecutions.

Mrs Long and other NI party leaders held a virtual meeting with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis and Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney over plans unveiled at Westminster to deal with legacy issues.

Mrs Long said: “Alliance was clear with the governments today we will continue to engage in the legacy process in order to find a solution. But that solution needs to be based on the rule of law and due process.

“However, we will not provide cover for anything that amounts to an amnesty. I was clear in the meeting this process has to be centred on victims, who have been re-traumatised this week thanks to the actions of the UK Government. Any suggestion their right to access justice as been denied will hurt them further.

“The Prime Minister has stated in blunt and callous terms we need to draw a line under this issue and move on.

“That is easy said for those who have not suffered any loss, but it is harder to do when you have to live with that loss and pain on a daily basis.

“It is imperative we restore the focus back to the needs of victims – this should not be simply a political discussion.”

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said the meeting between Northern Ireland political leaders and the UK and Irish governments over legacy proposals “did not provide any solutions for innocent victims”.

Mr Beattie said: “I made clear at the meeting that we would not be supporting a statute of limitations, which has always been our consistent position because it was always going to inevitably lead to an amnesty for terrorists.

“The UK Government must widen their proposals to incorporate a criminal justice element or they will risk inflicting more pain on innocent victims whose families have already sacrificed so much.

“Any proposals which snuff out any hope of justice need to be abandoned. The Irish Government needs to do more than what they are doing now. It`s not good enough that the Irish Government comes to the table with warm smiles, but little else. Where is their command paper and what are they going to do?

“We need to widen the focus, we need to widen the lens and we need to look at both governments and their part within what happened here in Northern Ireland and further afield. Until we do that we will always be failing our victims and survivors.”

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said that Boris Johnson and Brandon Lewis “cannot be given a free run to impose their plans to award amnesties to those involved in serious Troubles-related crimes”.

The Foyle MP made the comments following a virtual meeting of the Northern Ireland party leaders with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis and Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney.

Mr Eastwood said: “There is a strong consensus among party leaders that the British Government proposal for an amnesty for those involved in serious conflict-related crimes cannot be allowed to proceed. It represents a gross distortion of the structures agreed by most parties during the Stormont House Agreement and abandons the needs of victims and survivors.

“It is pathetic that Boris Johnson and Brandon Lewis pushed ahead with this announcement before the consultation and engagement process with political parties and victims had begun in any serious way. This process cannot have a predetermined outcome that fails to deliver truth, justice, accountability and acknowledgement that victims and survivors need.

“The SDLP will not give this Government a free run on legacy. We will continue to take a stand for victims and survivors. The Assembly will now meet next week, giving all parties an opportunity to send a united message to the British Government – we stand with victims and we will stand against this amnesty.”