Lord Dodds said, “The level of opposition facing this bill is beyond that faced by nearly any other legislation. That was again laid bare by the contributions from Northern Ireland voices during this debate.
The Government is not just setting aside the voices of political parties in pressing ahead with the bill, but they are also disregarding the universal opposition from victims. These are the very people who should be at the centre of any such process, yet they are treated most abominably by the Bill.
People are watching the route to justice for terrorist crimes being narrowed. It is being taken forward in the name of peace and reconciliation but will advance neither. It also does nothing to counter the twisted narrative of the Troubles. The Government needs to be more proactive in challenging the imbalanced view of the past, including by those who will pocket any concession offered to terrorists yet attempt to justify those actions or even claim there was no alternative.
The Government should finally listen to the voices of victims who suffered most directly, and to the many thousands of others who faced the threat of terrorist actions daily. As such they should think again and withdraw the legislation.”
