Troubles Legacy Act ruling appealed by government

The government has begun its appeal against a ruling which found that parts of its controversial Troubles Legacy Act were unlawful.

The most contentious aspect of the act was an offer of conditional immunity to suspects in exchange for information about Troubles-era crimes.

In February, the High Court in Belfast ruled such an amnesty would be in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Families bereaved in the Troubles, who had welcomed February’s ruling, are still seeking to have other parts of the Legacy Act struck out.

Relatives gathered outside the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, where they called on the Labour Party to repeal the act if it forms the next government.

Among them was campaigner Martina Dillion, whose husband was shot dead in a paramilitary attack in 1997.

She called for access to fresh inquests – which was removed under the terms of the Legacy Act – to be reinstated.

“Every victim that’s entitled to an inquest, they should be getting it, it shouldn’t have been taken away,” she told reporters.

“The government brought on this law to suit themselves, not the people that it involves.”

On a visit to Belfast last year, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he would repeal the Legacy Act if he became prime minister.

Ms Dillion said she had “confidence” that a future Labour government would honour that pledge.

“I have no other choice, I have to trust them,” she said.