Stuart Anderson MP has renewed his support for veterans in South Shropshire and beyond who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
- Stuart voted against continuing with the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.
- He said it risks re-opening the door to elderly veterans being dragged into courtrooms.
- The Conservatives would repeal the legislation if returned to government.
- The Party has launched a petition against Labour's Troubles Bill.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
“South Shropshire is home to thousands of veterans who bravely put their lives at risk to protect our country's interests and national security. Many more families sadly have loved ones who never retuned home from war and conflict. I was proud to join fellow veterans in Parliament Square on 27th April 2026 to express our opposition to government's continued plans to repeal and replace legislation that the previous Conservative government had introduced to stop vexatious claims being made against veterans who served in Northern Ireland. In the House of Commons, I subsequently voted against the carry-over motion, as the legislation threatens to put former British soldiers back in the dock simply for serving their country. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that previous legislation did not lead to a diminution of rights, the government should drop its outrageous plans immediately. Our veterans deserve protection - not the threat of being drawn into legal proceedings decades after retirement."
In Parliament on Monday 27th April 2026, Stuart voted against a “carry-over” motion to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill. The government had tabled the motion so that the legislation can be continued in the next session of Parliament following the King's Speech, which was delivered on 13th May 2026. However, Stuart has warned it threatens to reopen old wounds because it will “repeal and replace” legislation that the previous Conservative government had introduced to stop vexatious claims being made against veterans who served in Northern Ireland, including those deployed as part of Operation Banner between 1969 and 2007. Following an appeal by the Northern Ireland Office, the Supreme Court ruled on 7th May 2026 that the law did not lead to a “diminution of rights” under the Windsor Framework. Stuart has said that the government should drop its plans immediately.
South Shropshire is home to more than 4,000 veterans. Stuart has consistently argued that those who served our country, including those in South Shropshire, must be treated with dignity and protected from lawfare decades after their retirement. The previous Conservative Government introduced the Northern Ireland (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act in 2023 to stop such claims being made against veterans who served in Northern Ireland. However, the Labour Government has chosen to continue with its plans to “repeal and replace” the legislation. Stuart has subsequently renewed his warning that it leaves elderly veterans, who have already been cleared of wrongdoing, vulnerable to lawfare. It does so by reopening the door to endless investigations, undermining progress in Northern Ireland’s recovery.
Stuart was still a teenager when he was deployed to Northern Ireland for eighteen months. Stuart has actively supported the Conservative Party’s plan to scrap the legislation which undoes changes by the last government to stop vexatious claims being made against veterans decades after their retirement. Stuart’s vote in Parliament on 27th April 2026 reflects his growing concern that the government’s legislative proposals risk reopening deeply sensitive legacy issues, while exposing veterans to prolonged and potentially vexatious legal claims decades after their retirement from service. The Conservative Party has made a clear commitment that they will repeal the legislation if returned to government after the next General Election, which must take place no later than 15th August 2029.
