Parliamentarians advocate for Birmingham pub bombings investigation

Following the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Birmingham pub bombings, two Members of Parliament have voiced support for a public inquiry. Sarah Edwards, the Labour MP representing Tamworth, and Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, the Conservative MP for Solihull West and Shirley, each stated that “closure” was merited by the victims and their relatives. The IRA bombings, which occurred at the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town on 21 November 1974, resulted in the deaths of twenty-one individuals and injuries to 220 others. Six innocent men, identified as the Birmingham Six, were incarcerated for over 16 years for this heinous act; however, those truly responsible were never apprehended and prosecuted. Ms. Edwards, a native of Birmingham, conveyed to BBC Politics Midlands: “I think it absolutely makes sense that they [the victims and families] can get that closure.” She added, “I think it’s really good we’re hearing positive things from the government about the fact they are considering it.” She further emphasized that should an inquiry proceed, it must be conducted in “the right way” to ensure families’ confidence in receiving “the answers they want”. Dr. Shastri-Hurst, who also spent his formative years in Birmingham, mentioned his birth occurred nine years subsequent to the bombings, characterizing the event as a “cloud that covered the city.” He stated, “I think it is right that we have a public inquiry,” and elaborated, “Families need closure on this – they’ve had the inquests, but they haven’t had many answers to their questions.” He concluded, “I think the time has come and we need to get on with it.” Commemorative events took place throughout the city on Thursday, marking five decades since the attacks. On Friday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated that a determination regarding an inquiry would be reached without delay. When questioned about the potential waiting period for families, he responded: “We’ll keep talking to them and engage and come to a decision as quickly as we can.” Viewers can watch Politics Midlands on BBC One in the West Midlands region at 10:00 GMT on Sunday. The program will subsequently be accessible on the iPlayer. For updates, follow BBC Birmingham via BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC holds no accountability for the content of external sites. Details on our external linking methodology are available.