Starmer defends Troubles legacy deal, says veterans protected but paramilitaries not

London — Prime Minister Keir Starmer said progress on a new Troubles legacy deal with Ireland includes protections for British veterans but would not shield paramilitary members from accountability. In an interview with BBC News NI, Starmer said, "We have made a provision for veterans in relation to it, the protections have been put in place." He added that the next step was to translate that framework into legislation that can be enacted in Parliament.

Starmer stressed that the protections were limited to veterans and that the arrangements must be workable in practice. He was asked whether the safeguards apply to all who engage with the legacy bodies, including paramilitaries, and replied, "No, it's for veterans." The prime minister, who spent five years working in Northern Ireland, said accountability, truth, and justice were crucial for victims, and he contrasted the plan with what he described as failures by previous governments. He said, "I want this to work" and that he kept in his mind the victims who have waited a long time for accountability.

On Friday, the Irish government and British government announced the deal, described by the Tánaiste Simon Harris and NI Secretary Hilary Benn. The framework envisions a phased approach to dealing with past offences, including mechanisms for accountability while delivering protections for veterans. Officials emphasized that translating the agreement into law would require new legislation, with a timetable suggesting the measures could reach Parliament within weeks. Starmer acknowledged the need for the legislation to be workable in practice and the importance of ensuring victims receive accountability that they have waited for.

To address ongoing paramilitary influence in some communities, the government has appointed a Dutch conflict resolution expert to explore the merits of talking to paramilitary groups about disbandment. Fleur Ravensbergen, based at the University of Amsterdam, could meet representatives of loyalist and republican organizations over the coming months and will deliver a report next August. Starmer said the purpose of this role was to alleviate the suffering caused by ongoing paramilitary activity, and that it did not dilute his condemnation of such groups. "Those paramilitaries are still having impact and effect in some communities in Northern Ireland. That is intolerable, and it is our job to do whatever we can to alleviate that for those communities, and that's the sole purpose of this role," he said.

The prime minister also denied that his leadership was "hanging by a thread" amid reports that Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was preparing a leadership challenge. He declined to comment on whether people in Northern Ireland should be allowed to vote in the Irish presidential election, saying that was a matter that needed to be worked through. The interview followed a day of intensive media scrutiny in which Starmer faced questions about his approach to Northern Ireland and the Troubles legacy, with BBC News NI Political Editor Enda McClafferty noting that the round of interviews highlighted both jeopardy and opportunity for the prime minister.

Analysts said the extended scrutiny comes at a cost, as Starmer seeks to balance accountability for past violence with pragmatic steps toward reconciliation. The new deal, announced Friday by Harris and Benn, remains contingent on legislation and on the practical administration of the veteran protections while establishing a framework for engagement with residual paramilitary activity. Officials emphasised that the government aims to move quickly to lay out the legislative details and operational rules to turn political consensus into enforceable law within weeks.

Starmer has repeatedly linked progress on Northern Ireland to broader stability in the United Kingdom, arguing that addressing the Troubles legacy is essential to moving beyond decades of conflict and fear in affected communities. Yet the path forward is already shaping up as a test of his leadership, with internal party voices urging cautious handling of a sensitive and emotionally charged issue that touches on victims, veterans, and those still living in areas affected by violence. The government’s approach—protecting veterans while pursuing accountability and enabling dialogue with active groups through Ravensbergen’s work—will be watched closely by lawmakers in Westminster, Dublin, and communities across Northern Ireland as the legislation moves through Parliament in the coming weeks.