Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) has told families of Birmingham pub bombing victims they will "never be forgotten" but stopped short of committing to a public inquiry into Britain's biggest unsolved mass murder. The Prime Minister indicated the 1974 atrocity will instead be handled through new legacy arrangements agreed with the Irish government.
Speaking to BBC Midlands on Thursday, Starmer said the case can "now go into that system" alongside other Troubles-era deaths. When asked whether this made a full public inquiry more likely, he said the reformed framework was designed to "get to the bottom" of "all" legacy issues, including the Birmingham pub bombings.
New legacy arrangements
"There has been engagement by the Government with those communities and of course what we've done, particularly in recent weeks and months, is to set up the new legacy arrangements, which we've now agreed with the Irish government and will now put through the necessary legislation and that means that this case can now go into that system and so we've made progress there," Starmer explained. He said these arrangements, now in place after years of delay, would provide the mechanism for families to get "the truth and accountability that they quite understandably want to see."
The Prime Minister acknowledged families' pain directly, saying: "Well, let me be clear and speak directly to them that they're not forgotten and they will never be forgotten. I don't think any of us would ever forget what happened in that pub bombing and for the families, that is acute and they carry it every single day."
The 1974 attacks
Twenty-one people died and about 200 were injured on 21st November 1974 when bombs exploded minutes apart in two Birmingham pubs. The devices detonated at the Mulberry Bush, at the foot of the Rotunda building, and the Tavern In The Town in New Street.
Six Irishmen were wrongly convicted over the attacks and jailed for life in 1975, but were freed in 1991 after the Court of Appeal ruled their convictions were unsafe. Hugh Callaghan, Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, John Walker, Richard McIlkenny and Billy Power became known for their lengthy fight for justice.
Investigation findings
Inquest hearings concluded in April 2019 found that a botched IRA warning call led to the deaths of the 21 people unlawfully killed. An eleven-member jury unanimously concluded an inadequate warning call by the Provisional IRA cost police vital minutes during their search of the area.
The jury found there was "not sufficient evidence" of any failings by West Midlands Police's response to the bomb warning call. Victims' families have repeatedly questioned why calls for a public inquiry into the attacks have been sidelined.
Political developments
A new UK-Irish deal on mechanisms to deal with Northern Ireland Troubles was announced earlier this month after years of impasse. Labour came to power pledging to replace the Conservative 2023 Legacy Act, which had halted scores of civil cases and inquests into Troubles deaths.
The new framework will replace the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery with a Legacy Commission to investigate Troubles deaths. A separate body will handle information recovery.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
