Guernsey Politician Calls for Increased Compensation for Veterans Affected by Military Gay Ban

A politician from Guernsey is supporting demands for increased compensation for former service members discharged from the UK armed forces due to their sexual orientation. A parliamentary discussion concerning the treatment of LGBT veterans is scheduled to commence in the UK Parliament this Thursday. Deputy Heidi Soulsby has stated she is engaging with Members of Parliament in the UK regarding the proposed compensation figures. The government has previously disclosed that a £50m financial redress program for individuals affected by the pre-2000 “gay ban” within the military will be initiated next year. While homosexuality began to be decriminalised in the UK in 1967, a prohibition remained in effect within the armed forces until 2000. Service personnel who were gay, or perceived to be gay, frequently underwent extensive investigations prior to their dismissal from military service. Instances of imprisonment for this reason occurred as late as 1995. Numerous gay service members faced dismissal, forfeited career prospects, and experienced ostracization from their families and social circles. The UK government is set to launch a £50m financial compensation scheme next year for those impacted by the pre-2000 “gay ban” in the UK military. A report by the National Audit Office indicated that as many as 4,000 veterans could qualify for compensation, suggesting an average payment of approximately £12,500 per individual. Mrs Soulsby stated: “If you consider how lives have been destroyed. I think that compensation should be higher and I’m hoping the debate will trigger an increase.” She continued: “You see the stark difference between other schemes like the Post Office and, quite rightly, people are getting compensation for that.” Mrs Soulsby added: “These veterans have fought for the country and fought for the British Isles, fought for freedom and they were cast out and treated appallingly.” She concluded: “Some of the stories that I’ve heard are quite upsetting. We need to give something back to the people who were there to defend ourselves.” Linda Garnham, a resident of Guernsey who enlisted in the Army at the age of 17, expressed that she was “gutted” following her dismissal for being gay. She recounted: “After the first six weeks I was called into the CO’s [Commanding Officer] office and asked if I was gay. I denied it as I wasn’t at the time.” Garnham further explained: “Once I realised I had feelings towards women, I had to keep it quiet because we weren’t allowed to be gay.” She added: “I formed a relationship with someone and we started getting questioned by Special Investigation Branch and they started interrogating me which wasn’t pleasant.” Garnham described the interrogation process: “It was four or five hours a day and just being hounded by questions. Being accused of things that I hadn’t done. It was awful.” Subsequently, Linda was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in an effort to “cure” her, and upon her return to the camp, she was informed of her dismissal. She expressed her distress: “I was so upset because that was my career, I had signed up for 21 years. There was never any complaints about my work. I was gutted.” Garnham concluded: “I just felt so ashamed that I couldn’t do the career I wanted to do. I won’t get my pension and I lost a lot of money.”