Pat Finucane

The UK Supreme Court ruled in February 2019 that the state has failed to deliver an Article 2 compliant investigation into the death of Mr Finucane, who was shot and killed by loyalist paramilitaries in collusion with UK security forces.

The UK government has not yet said how it will respond to the ruling, but assured judges in Belfast last month that it would issue its decision on or before 30 November 2020.

The late Mr Finucane’s family has successfully secured support from political parties and institutions over the past few weeks in support of their long-standing campaign for a public inquiry.

The Labour Party came out in full support in late October, with Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Louise Haigh writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to urge him to “act without delay”.

Over the weekend, Northern Ireland party leaders Michelle O’Neill, Colum Eastwood, Stephen Farry and Claire Bailey wrote a joint letter to Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis calling on him to commit to a public inquiry.

Pat’s son John Finucane, a solicitor and Sinn Féin MP, wrote to all MPs on the weekend, urging them to support an inquiry and inviting them to discuss the matter with him.

Earlier this week, he met with Taoiseach Michéal Martin in what he said was a “very positive” meeting in which the Taoiseach gave his full support to the family’s campaign.

The Seanad is today expected to unanimously support a Sinn Féin motion calling on the UK government to establish a public inquiry immediately.