British approach on Libya-linked IRA terror inquiry ‘hypocritical’

Victims of Libya-sponsored IRA terrorism have said they are disgusted and dismayed at the British government’s response to a parliamentary inquiry.

Its approach is weak and hypocritical, a lawyer for families bereaved and injured said.

The British government is ignoring the demands of democracy after it rebuffed a Westminster committee of MPs which called for a reparations fund to be established, Jason McCue added.

He said: “The British government’s response to a parliamentary inquiry that clearly found it wanting and not performing its duty of care to victims of terrorism is to continue to do nothing, make poor uneducated excuses and demonstrate complete hypocrisy.”

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Victims and survivors said Libya was responsible for murdering and maiming an estimated 3,500 British citizens.

An inquiry by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster said the government had let down the victims of terrorism by failing to ensure Libya paid just reparations.

Abdicated all responsibility

A victims’ spokesman said: “HMG’s response to the inquiry, published today, ignores its criticism and conclusions while steadfastly refusing to take any meaningful action. Instead, it has abdicated all responsibility.”

He said the inquiry’s report had been ignored.

“HMG is not only sitting on its hands but, at the same time, has the audacity to posture to the victims that it is doing everything in its power to help them.”

Mr McCue said the official response was shameful.

He added: “If this is a demonstration of the government’s approach and capability in performing foreign policy for its people, the people of this country should fear its ability to deliver a positive Brexit.

“For over a decade their approach has been weak, ineffective and hypocritical.”

He said it was “galling” that victims of terrorism had to endure such an approach.

He added: “The UK government is broken. This instance demonstrates how far our government has travelled to a position where it feels able to ignore the demands of democracy though a parliamentary inquiry, as well as the voices of victims and the media.”

Andrew MacKinlay, a former Labour MP and long-standing campaigner, said it was a callous and calculating fob-off by the government.

He added: “Successive governments of Blair, Brown, Cameron and now May have betrayed the victims of these terrorist outrages.”

Press Association