Bryant Insists Troubles Bill Is ‘Not an Amnesty’
Sir Chris Bryant, the Northern Ireland secretary, has rejected claims that government changes to the Troubles legacy bill amount to an amnesty for former soldiers, as the legislation returns to the Commons. He called it “completely wrong” to suggest that requiring attorney general consent for serious prosecutions was designed to pardon veterans.
Bryant described the consent requirement as a “sensible measure” to bring “more consistency” to prosecution decisions. Ministers say the amendments would “significantly reduce” the prospect of veterans facing “rinse and repeat” investigations. Sinn Féin has branded them a “veterans’ charter”, while the DUP complains MPs have too little time to scrutinise them. The bill rests on a joint framework agreed with Dublin; the government must hold that consensus while satisfying MPs who argue veterans’ protections still fall short.