Campaigners have welcomed Rishi Sunak’s apology for the “horrific” historical treatment of LGBT people who served in the military under the pre-2000 ban on homosexuality in the armed forces.
Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, who served in the Army and came out as gay last year, was among those who welcomed the Government’s commitment to address the mistreatment faced by veterans.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he recognised there should be a financial award for affected veterans, some of whom suffered abusive investigations when their sexuality was discovered.
Others faced “conversion therapy, peremptory discharges, and appalling consequences in terms of mental health and wellbeing, homelessness, employment, personal relationships and financial hardship”, according to a Government-commissioned independent review into the service and experience of LGBT veterans who served in the armed forces between 1967 and 2000.
Speaking to the PA news agency following Mr Wallace’s statement in the Commons, Dame Kelly said: “It means a huge amount to be here today and to hear it and be part of this with some other veterans that are all part of the review.
“From a personal point of view, the ban affected me in terms of who I was and what I couldn’t be for 34 years, leading me to do my documentary last year.”
Dame Kelly, who spoke about her own experience in the military in an ITV documentary last year, added: “I am in the public eye and I get a voice to express this, and I was able to be part of bringing it in, but today their voices got heard with the publication of this.”
Craig Jones, executive chairman of the charity Fighting with Pride, said he had confidence the Government would deliver compensation for mistreated LGBT veterans.
Mr Jones said the Defence Secretary had “acknowledged the decades of hurt and shame that have been felt by LGBT+ veterans who stepped forward in the service of the United Kingdom but were treated with abject cruelty”.
He told PA: “The account that he gave gave us great confidence as a campaigning organisation that it is the intent of the Government to acknowledge a watershed moment for LGBT+ veterans and do the right thing, and Fighting with Pride will work with the Government to deliver substantial reparations.”
The review, carried out by Lord Etherton, former master of the rolls and head of civil justice, was published on Wednesday and made 49 recommendations to the Government, including making an “appropriate financial award” to affected veterans.
Mr Wallace said he recognised the need for financial awards for affected veterans, but stopped short of providing details.
He told the Commons: “On the financial award, I think first and foremost we recognise there should be a financial award.”
Mr Wallace added: “I think it’s important we work with people like Fighting with Pride to work through how we can do it.”
Independent MP Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) said: “A number of (LGBT veterans) found themselves stripped of their medals. Will these now be returned swiftly? And the ban on LGBT veterans wearing their uniform at ceremonies be lifted?”
Mr Wallace said: “In answer to both: yes.”
He also said LGBT veterans who were told they would not qualify for medals “will be able to have their medals from now on”.
The report also recommended that commission and rank should be retrospectively restored to what it was immediately before dismissals or discharges related to the pre-2000 ban, that pension rights are clarified, a public memorial be created, and a veterans’ badge be granted to those who served at the time of the ban.
Mr Wallace said the Government has been working through the report’s recommendations, noting it accepts “in principle the vast majority” of them.
He added: “Whilst we agree with the intent behind them, there are a number we may deliver in different ways to (how) they’re described in the report.”
Mr Wallace said the Government’s full response would be published after the Commons summer recess, which ends in September.
