GUARDSMEN FISHER AND WRIGHT

Early day motion 1187, tabled 28 November 2000 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 4 members.

That this House notes the decision of the Army Board to allow Guardsmen James Fisher and Mark Wright to continue their army careers despite conviction and prison sentence served for the murder of unarmed father-of-two Peter McBride, then aged 18 years; notes the distress caused to the family and friends of Peter McBride, particularly in light of the large number of soldiers discharged from the services following conviction of relatively minor drugs offences; further notes the Independent Assessor of Military Complaints has expressed 'dismay' at the decision of the Army Board; further notes the Board meeting was held in private and has yet to share its reasons with the McBride family or the wider public; and calls upon the Government to re-axamine the papers in this case, to review its policy on the ethical and public relations implications of allowing convicted murderers to serve in Her Majesty's forces and, pending this, to order that these soldiers may never again be permitted to serve in Northern Ireland.

Signatures by party: Labour 4.