Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal ruled last month that the controversial Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 breaches human rights laws and the post-Brexit Windsor Framework.

While the UK government has promised to “repeal and replace” the 2023 Act, it is not proposing to scrap the controversial Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) and has confirmed it is appealing parts of the court ruling.

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International UK’s deputy director in Northern Ireland, said: “The UK government’s decision to appeal is a betrayal of their own legacy commitments and fails victims. It is a staggering dilution of their pre-election position.

“The Government’s decision raises serious questions about their commitment to their own promise to repeal and replace the Troubles Act.”

She added: “The government needs to own this change of direction. The categorical pledge by the Labour Party prior to the election was to repeal and replace the Troubles Act. That pledge has been increasingly qualified over recent months, and we now see them propping up the legacy body established by the last government.

“The government should change course again, immediately, and fulfil their manifesto promise to repeal the Troubles Act. This should be done in full, as well as abandoning any attempt to prop up the ICRIR, which was condemned by the court ruling and by victims groups alike.

“Stormont House Agreement remains the foundation on which to build.”

Martina Dillon, whose husband Seamus was shot and killed outside the Glengannon Hotel in Dungannon on 27 December 1997, said: “Repeal and replace the universally-opposed Troubles Act as well as the investigations body which is a hangover from the last government’s flawed plan. That’s what we were promised and that’s what we are now demanding.

“The Secretary of State should categorically not be seeking to prop up a body he should clearly see there are problems with. Anything short of the return of my inquest is unacceptable.

“Others who need inquests should have access to them too. Victims have waited long enough for justice for our husbands, brothers, sisters, and children. Enough is enough, we won’t be fobbed off again.”