On the 28th February 2023, Steve Purse attended a Public Accountability APPG organised by the Hillsborough Law Now campaigners.
The meeting was held in a committee room in the House of Commons and was chaired by Ian Byrne MP.
This is his report:
I attended to support their campaign and to ensure that our voice was heard as the new laws would benefit our community.
After the meeting was opened there was a speech about what Hillsborough Law is and what recent developments had occurred. Then I was handed the floor.
I gave a brief summary of who we are and what happened to our 22,000 service personnel and their families during and after the tests.
I then spoke about how the two aspects of Hillsborough Law would help us. Firstly, the legal duty of candour for public authorities and officials to tell the truth and to proactively cooperate with official investigations and inquiries.
These principles should help us get the truth from the MOD about our veteran's blood and urine samples. To withhold, lie or alter any facts on records would be a crime and there is a duty for officials to speak out and not wait to be asked.
Secondly, the equality of legal representation would ensure individuals get legal aid when fighting the state and access to a public advocate. This idea could be used to help in War Pension hearings so that our veterans can get free legal representation when facing the barrage of MOD lawyers.
There may also be a cap on the number of lawyers the other side can use to defend against us. I was well received and following the meeting Lord Alton of Liverpool approached me and told me that my words had a familiar sound as in 1983 when he was in the House of Commons he tried to get the subject of the Nuclear Test veterans raised.
He has sent me a copy of the Hansard report of that day. He is keen to support us. This was just the first meeting of this kind and more are planned for the future. Together, the groups such as ours, campaigning alongside the Hillsborough Law Now campaign is making waves.
You can read the debate in 1983 by clicking the button below:
We thank Steve for traveling to London and discussing the Nuclear Test Veterans and their role in ensuring that Hillsborough Law is implemented and that Truth and Justice will prevail.