Nine recently-retired generals including heads of the British military and top NATO commanders have made an extraordinary intervention against the government undermining national security with human rights law.
The British government, which is led by human rights lawyers including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his long-time legal colleague-turned Attorney General Lord Hermer, is undermining the security of the state by opening up former soldiers to legal action for following legal orders, a group of top former officers have warned.
In an extraordinary letter signed by nine recently retired four-star generals, it was stated troops are now being left having to consider “not only the enemy in front but the lawyer behind”. The symptoms of this growing sentiment within the armed forces that troops are being used to secure the state now but thrown to the dogs later include an exodus of highly trained soldiers from the special forces. The government has previously denied that this exodus is taking place, which the band of generals said was incorrect.
The government rejected these latest claims too, reports The Times, citing “robust safeguards”.
Nevertheless, in remarks that can’t but be interpreted in the light of the British government being led by human rights lawyers, the generals’ letter stated “legal activism… [is] risk weaking the moral foundations and operational effectiveness of the forces on which this nation depends” and said “This lawfare is a direct threat to national security”.
Referring to the “incoherent” situation in law now where terrorists who fought against British forces and bombed civilians were handed “letters of comfort” to assure them they would not be prosecuted but troops which opposed them never got any such protection, it was stated the government “treats those who upheld the peace and those who bombed and murdered in pursuit of political ends as equivalent actors”.
People will not sign up for the military, and those already serving will leave if it continues to be the case that “lawful actions taken in the service of the crown will one day be re-examined in the misplaced light of hindsight”, they warned.
The generals said the government must “deviate” from the European Court of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act to “ensure those who act under lawful authority are protected”.
The Generals who signed the letter were General Sir Peter Wall, a former Chief of the General Staff (CGS), the professional head of the British Army, CGS General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, and CGS General Sir Patrick Sanders, who left post just last year. Also signing were General Sir Richard Barrons, former NATO Commander of Joint Forces (JFC), and General Sir Chris Deverell, also a Commander JFC.
Also holding top NATO posts were signatories General Sir Richard Shirreff, and General Sir Tim Radford, both former Deputy Supreme Allied Commanders of Europe (DSCACEUR).
Former Commander in Chief Land Forces General Sir Nick Parker and Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford were signatories.
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