The Pendle & Clitheroe branch of Reform UK has issued a press release blasting the local MP, Jonathan Hinder, following an online spat about the Northern Ireland Troubles bill he voted for.
It began when the Pendle & Clitheroe branch of Reform UK accused the Pendle MP on Facebook of betraying veterans.
Hinder replied with his own post and a video from a former Royal Marine and current Labour MP colleague, Al Carns. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1SzQz2HcmP/
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| Jonathan Hinder's initial response to Reform's claims. |
The Pendle & Clitheroe branch of Reform UK is having none of it though with this lengthy rebuttal.
It says:
"Jonathan Hinder, MP for Pendle & Clitheroe, has misled the public about the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) legislation and its Remedial Order, and Reform UK - Pendle & Clitheroe strongly condemns his claims.
Hinder claims this legislation “delivers the protections veterans have long called for” – this is false.
The Remedial Order removes the central legal protection in the 2023 Act - immunity from prosecution. Veterans can now face renewed criminal investigations, prosecutions, and civil claims, even decades later.
Despite Hinder’s claims:
- There is no bar on repeat investigations
- There is no protection from prosecution for elderly or vulnerable veterans
- There is no guaranteed anonymity once evidence enters the justice system
- Civil claims are now fully allowed
Evidence from the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) can be used in criminal and civil proceedings, directly contradicting claims that veterans are shielded. Measures like video testimony or MoD contact are procedural, not legal protections.
By voting for this bill, Hinder supported a framework that reopens legal risk, removes finality, and threatens those who served under lawful orders, while former paramilitary offenders remain largely untouched.
Mick Waddington, Reform UK - Pendle & Clitheroe, said:
“Jonathan Hinder has betrayed the men and women who served this country. Veterans followed lawful orders in some of the most dangerous conditions imaginable, and decades later he has voted for legislation that strips away their protections and exposes them to prosecution and civil claims. No amount of spin can change the facts: immunity is gone, investigations can restart, and veterans are being left to face lifelong legal and emotional punishment for serving their country. That is not justice - it is a betrayal.”
Keir Starmer’s Role
Keir Starmer’s former work as a human rights barrister established that European Court human rights laws applied to British military operations overseas, creating legal uncertainty that left troops hyper-cautious and exposed to repeated investigations. His decisions prioritised legal theory over protecting those who risked their lives for this country and he continues to show disdain for the British people with this bill stripping protections from our veterans.
Reform UK believes justice must be fair, final, and protective of those who served. Veterans deserve certainty, dignity, and freedom from fear of endless investigations. That is why Reform UK has vowed to repeal the ECHR in the UK and put veterans and the people of this country first. We will continue to expose misinformation and stand up for those who risked everything to defend this nation."
The legislation is clear and you can read it for yourself here -
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2025/9780348275490
The first paragraph says:
The following provisions of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023(1) have been declared(2) under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998(3) to be incompatible with a Convention right(4)—
(a) sections 7(3), 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 39, 41 and 42(1) (relating to immunity from prosecution and the prohibition of criminal enforcement in respect of certain offences),
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| A screenshot of some of the legislation |