BIRMINGHAM PUB BOMBINGS: BYRNE URGES MINISTER TO RETHINK ICRIR REFERRAL

Liam Byrne, MP for Hodge Hill and Solihull North, has written to the Minister for Security to reject the proposal that the Birmingham Pub Bombings be referred to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) rather than dealt with through a statutory public inquiry. Mr Byrne has pressed the Minister to establish a judge-led statutory public inquiry into the Birmingham Pub Bombings under the 1995 Inquiries Act. Mr Byrne, said: “Having met with the Justice 4 the 21 families, I know that the Government’s proposed ICRIR simply cannot deliver the truth these families have sought for more than fifty years. As it stands, it is not fit for purpose. “Only a proper judge-led inquiry can command the confidence of the families and finally confront the question that has haunted our city for half a century: Who bombed Birmingham? “The families deserve nothing less.” Julie Hambleton of Justice 4 the 21, said:

"We welcome the support of Liam Byrne MP. We endorse his call that the Government establish a statutory public inquiry into the Birmingham Pub Bombings of 1974. Only this mechanism can deliver to us truth, justice and accountability in accordance with the standards of investigations demanded by the European Convention on Human Rights. “The Legacy Act cannot do that. The Troubles Bill will not do that. We will not engage - through coercion - with any state-sponsored mechanism of the Government apart from an independent human rights complaint inquiry in which we, as families, can effectively participate."

Read Liam's letter to the Minister of Security below: