British soldiers on patrol in Northern Ireland in 1969: those on the front-line were exposed to considerable risk, and acted in good faith, following instructions they trusted to be lawful and responsible. Photograph: Peter Kemp/AP
British prime minister Keir Starmer is to meet Taoiseach Michéal Martin this week for the now-regular summit, a welcome sign of the closeness between our two countries.
Back in London, however, the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, introduced in 2025 by Northern Ireland Secretary of State Hilary Benn continues its passage through Westminster.
The Bill seeks to remove the protections from vexatious legal action for British soldiers and members of the IRA that were enshrined in the 2023 Northern Ireland Legacy Act passed by the previous Conservative government.
Whatever its flaws, that 2023 Act offered the chance to draw a line under the perpetual stream of legal cases that keep the Troubles front of mind for all parties involved in the long and pa
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