Northern Ireland

Victims' families tell Karen Bradley to resign after Stormont House meeting

Karen Bradley pictured speaking to the media last night following her apology over her comments regarding security force killings 
Karen Bradley pictured speaking to the media last night following her apology over her comments regarding security force killings  Karen Bradley pictured speaking to the media last night following her apology over her comments regarding security force killings 

The sister of a man shot dead by the British Army has called on Secretary of State Karen Bradley to resign after she said killings during the Troubles by the security forces were "not crimes".

Frances Meehan, whose brother was shot dead by the British Army in 1981, said Ms Bradley 's position was "untenable".

Ms Meehan was meeting the secretary of state as part of a delegation of relatives who travelled to Stormont House in Belfast to discuss the furore.

"I wanted to meet her because I wanted to look her in the eye to tell her how I felt about her comments in the House of Commons," she said.

"I also wanted to say to her that on this day, International Women's Day, that she is an insult to women. We know she has apologised but her position is completely and utterly untenable and she needs to resign."

During the meeting Mrs Bradley was shown a photograph of an 11-year-old boy in his coffin after he was shot dead by the British Army.

Stephen McConomy was shot and killed by a plastic bullet close to his home in Derry in 1982.

Ms Bradley was handed a number of pictures of the schoolboy including one of him wearing his school uniform two weeks before he was killed and another on a life support machine.

Representatives from the campaign group Relatives for Justice said Ms Bradley was left "speechless" at the images.

Ms Bradley's remarks in the Commons on Wednesday that killings carried out by the police and military during the Troubles were not crimes, rather actions of people "fulfilling their duties in a dignified and appropriate way", sparked fury among some victims and political parties.

Ahead of the private meeting with her at Stormont, Relatives for Justice tweeted a picture of them, saying: "A delegation of families bereaved by the British Army and RUC outside Stormont House on way to meet Karen Bradley, look her in the eye, and tell her what they think."

Relatives of those killed in shootings involving the British Army in Ballymurphy in west Belfast in 1971 refused to meet the Conservative MP.

John Teggart, whose father Danny was shot 14 times at Ballymurphy, said Ms Bradley should resign.

"We will not meet her, and have one request for Mrs Bradley and that is for her to resign immediately," he said.

"Families request that those parties who support our campaign join us and refuse to meet with Karen Bradley.

"Do the dignified and appropriate thing - resign, Karen Bradley."

Ms Bradley made it clear yesterday that she would not be leaving her role, vowing instead to work to deliver for people she had offended.

"I want to get on and get this job done," she said.

Downing Street has said British prime minister Theresa May retains full confidence in her.

The minister's comments carried added significance as they were made a week before long-awaited decisions from prosecutors on whether 17 soldiers involved in the Bloody Sunday shootings in Derry in 1972 will face prosecution.

She returned to the Commons on Wednesday afternoon in a bid to clarify the comments and, on Thursday, issued a statement of apology, saying she was "profoundly sorry".

In an interview with the Press Association in Belfast on Thursday evening, Mrs Bradley said there were "no excuses" for what she said.

"I shouldn't have said it and I want to say sorry to all those people, all those families that have been kind enough to share their experiences with me," she said.

"I want to say sorry to them because I didn't want to cause hurt or pain or distress to them in any way, and what I want to do is deliver for them, and I am absolutely determined I will do.

"I recognise that a slip of the tongue at the wrong moment has caused enormous distress.

"I want to be very clear - I do not believe what I said, that is not my view.

"I believe that where crimes have happened, no matter who the perpetrator, they should be properly investigated by an independent authority and they should be prosecuted.

"There is no excuse for anybody where a crime has been committed."

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Ms Bradley's apology was "genuine and heartfelt".

Speaking in Dublin he said: "She has accepted that her comments were insensitive and wrong.

"What's important now is that it's followed up on, from words must follow actions. That involves full funding for legacy inquests and it involves setting up the historical inquiries team which has been committed to by the UK government.

"Where there was wrongdoing by members of the security forces, whether it was north or south of the border, they need to be be properly investigated and prosecuted if there is a case."