Legacy Bill Has 'No Legitimacy' And Will Face Legal Challenge – Alliance

The UK government's Legacy Bill has "no legitimacy" and is in conflict with human rights standards, Alliance Party Deputy Leader and North Down MP, Stephen Farry, has said.

Speaking after the Legacy Bill passed its final stage in the House of Lords and goes for Royal Assent, Farry stated: "This Bill has no legitimacy. It has been foisted on the people of Northern Ireland, especially the victims of violence, without their support. It sits in defiance of the views of a broad range of stakeholders, including political parties, human rights experts, and victims' groups.

"The UK Government never gave the Stormont House Agreement a chance. Indeed, it was formally Government policy as recently as January 2020 within the New Decade New Approach agreement. Within a few weeks, the Government had performed a handbrake turn. Their Legacy Bill was driven by internal Conservative politics and perceptions of what veterans wanted rather than the best interests of Northern Ireland.

"It is questionable if this new system will work, never mind achieve the results the Government have mooted. Furthermore, the forthcoming Act will likely become subject to numerous legal challenges.

"It is very unlikely that the Bill is compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights. Indeed, even advocates of the Bill struggle to make the case that it is."