The Secretary of State began the process of repealing the Legacy Act.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has officially started the process of canceling the controversial one. Inheritance Act.

The Act, brought in by the Conservative government, introduced a ban on inquests and civil proceedings relating to incidents during the Troubles.

He also sought to offer conditional amnesty for those suspected of trouble-making crimes in exchange for cooperation with a new information-rehabilitation agency.

labor Pledged to repeal the Inheritance Act. If he wins the general election in July.

Victims’ groups and all of Northern Ireland’s main political parties have opposed the act.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Hilary Benn said she was making a “remedial order” that would formally remove the Act’s conditional immunity clause and the ban on new civil actions.

Mr Bannon said he would also introduce legislation that would lift the ban on investigations.

“The steps I am outlining today are to right the wrongs of the previous government’s approach, ensure compliance with the ECHR and deliver on this government’s commitments.”

“Abolition of conditional immunity, resumption of inheritance investigations blocked by the Act, resumption of civil cases and reform of ICRIR (Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Recovery of Information), while it continues to work on behalf of a growing number of these families. To enable those who have already sought help.”

Mr Bannon also said the government would “make further changes to reform and strengthen” ICRIR’s “independence, powers and accountability”.

“I will now discuss further the specific measures to be included in the primary legislation, so that alongside the reform order the Government fulfills its commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act.”

“This will include families, victims and survivor groups, parties in Northern Ireland, civil society and the veterans community, who recognize the dedicated service of the vast majority of police officers, members of the armed forces and security services. who did so much to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe during the Troubles.”

The Act was a controversial attempt by the government to “draw a line” under the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

It was the first It was proposed by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 2021 as a solution to ending what he called veterans’ “troubling cases.”

It was approved in 2023.

It created a new legacy body, the ICRIR, to handle all predicament cases from 1 May 2024, including those on the desks of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

This act closes all historical investigations.

The most controversial element of the act, the offer of conditional immunity to suspects, has been rejected following legal action by bereaved families.

The court ruled that this section of the Act was inconsistent with human rights legislation and the Windsor Framework.

At the end of July, the Labor government wrote to the courts in Belfast rejecting an appeal against the repeal of the amnesty clause in the legislation.

The Legacy Act was widely opposed.

several groups of victims; It was criticized from the start by all political parties in Northern Ireland, the Labor Party and the Irish government.

They argued that it denied justice to the bereaved and injured.