The Liberal Democrat MP for Witney has voted alongside the Labour Party to repeal the Legacy Act in a move that local Conservatives warn will reopen the door to vexatious and politically motivated prosecutions against veterans who served in Northern Ireland.
The Legacy Act was introduced to provide legal certainty and protection for those who served with honour during Operation Banner, while still enabling information recovery and reconciliation. Its repeal removes those protections and risks subjecting veterans to repeated investigations decades after events that have already been examined.
The Conservatives argue that this decision sends a damaging signal to the Armed Forces community and undermines confidence among those who have served the United Kingdom in difficult and dangerous circumstances.
Commenting on the vote, Cllr Michele Mead, Conservative councillor in Carterton, said: “This vote is deeply disappointing. Towns like Carterton have a proud military history and a strong tradition of supporting our Armed Forces and veterans. Many local families have served this country with honour, and they deserve certainty, respect, and fairness not the fear of being dragged back through the courts decades later.
I'm proud that we believe Britain must keep its promises to those who served. Repealing the Legacy Act does the opposite, and it is wrong.”
Carterton is home to RAF Brize Norton and has long-standing ties to the Armed Forces, making the issue particularly resonant for local residents and veterans’ families across West Oxfordshire.
West Oxfordshire resident Ed Boanas, who lives near Shipton-under-Wychwood and served in Northern Ireland in 1995 added, "I think that the Government’s claims that the Bill protects soldiers against vexatious prosecutions wholly unconvincing and the protections described seem cosmetic. It is hardly surprising that this Government, with the Prime Minister’s and Attorney General’s background would bring forward such legislation.
It is far more surprising that members of other parties, particularly those with military constituents, would vote for it in its current form and not press for clear and material protection against vexatious prosecution for former and serving soldiers."
The Conservative Party has pledged to reverse the repeal, restore legal protections for veterans, and stand unequivocally for the Armed Forces community.
