Birmingham Pub Bombings: Campaigner Demands Public Inquiry

A campaigner representing victims of the Birmingham pub bombings has questioned the absence of a public inquiry into the incident. Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine died in the November 1974 explosions, stated her query arose after observing inquiries concerning Grenfell, the Manchester Arena bombing, Omagh, Bloody Sunday, and other events. Marking the 50th anniversary, she posed the question: “Why is nobody outraged by the mass murder of 21 innocent souls and the 182 plus survivors who live with it every day?” Prime Minister Keir Starmer informed the BBC that a decision would be reached promptly, stating: “We must always get to the bottom of what has happened.” During an interview with BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, while responding to questions from BBC regions across England, Sir Keir described the 1974 atrocity as “an absolutely awful incident”. He commented: “We are engaging with the communities and campaigners. It’s very important that we do and we’ll listen to what they’re asking for.” Regarding the extended period campaigners have awaited answers, he stated: “We’ll keep talking to them and engage and come to a decision as quickly as we can, but it is important that we listen to as many voices as possible and that’s what the Home Office is doing.” He added: “We’ll try to come to a decision as quickly as possible.” Sir Keir further remarked: “I do understand how important it is for people who have waited a very, very long time already.” He also stated: “I’ve fought for justice all my life. Before I was a politician I was a lawyer and was very often representing victims and campaigners in any number of injustices, and therefore I bring that approach to it.”We must always get to the bottom of what has happened in awful incidents and there should be nothing that stops us getting to the bottom of those questions.” Ms. Hambleton established the Justice for the 21 campaign group, advocating for a public inquiry. She affirmed it was “quite right” that incidents such as Grenfell and the Manchester Arena attacks warranted their own investigations. However, she continued: “I remember one day watching the news about some of them and I thought ‘where’s our public inquiry?'” Ultimately, she expressed her hope that an inquiry would uncover new information, which would then facilitate the successful prosecution of those accountable. Craig Guildford, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, confirmed that their investigation remains active and any new evidence would be examined. In 1975, six innocent men were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Nevertheless, the evidence against the Birmingham Six was discredited over time, leading to their release on appeal in 1991. Although the IRA never officially claimed responsibility, it is broadly understood to have been responsible for the attacks. The inquest in 2019 concluded that the victims were unlawfully killed by the IRA, but it did not establish the identities of the perpetrators. Ms. Hambleton stated: “Every anniversary is difficult, every day is difficult, you learn to adapt for self-preservation. Time does not heal, it’s a load of rubbish.”Time does not heal and having to fight for justice for decades only festers the grief and the sorrow the depth of loss.” Reporting by Rob Mayor, Political Editor, BBC West Midlands. The Prime Minister’s discussion of the Birmingham pub bombings marks a notable occasion, given the extended period since such an address. Sir Keir did not dismiss the possibility of the public inquiry sought by campaigners. Nevertheless, campaigners will also observe the absence of a firm timeline for a decision. The Prime Minister did, however, pledge that the potential for uncomfortable revelations regarding the state’s knowledge of the bombings and its timing would not serve as an impediment to any process aimed at uncovering the full truth of the 1974 events. For updates, follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.