LGBT and veterans charities urge Keir Starmer to 'do the right thing' on gay ban compensation

Critics accidental that level of backing would mean an mean payout of conscionable £12,500 for victims of the ban, which existed until 2000 and saw unit imprisoned, bullied, assaulted and outed against their will

Military and LGBT charities person joined forces to impulse Keir Starmer to decently money compensation for victims of the UK military's cruel "gay ban".

A associated missive signed by the bosses of 23 of the UK's largest LGBT and veterans charities - including Fighting With Pride, the Royal British Legion, Combat Stress and Help for Heroes - urges the authorities to summation the existent headdress connected compensation, presently acceptable astatine £50m.

Critics accidental that level of backing would mean an mean payout of conscionable £12,500 for victims of the ban, which existed until 2000 and saw unit imprisoned, bullied, assaulted and outed against their will.

Last year, Rishi Sunak apologised connected behalf of the authorities aft a scathing study by Lord Etherington.

Of the 49 recommendations made successful the report, compensation is the lone 1 yet to beryllium afloat agreed.

The missive is signed by 26 chairs, main executives and patrons - arsenic good arsenic Coronation Street histrion and equipped forces advocator Anthony Cotton.

It reads: “It is the shared presumption of the LGBT Veterans Coalition and our supporters that payments of this standard volition not bring astir the consciousness of justness these veterans deserve, and volition not honour the work and sacrifice of a assemblage who faced attraction Lord Etherington described arsenic ‘a stain upon the illustrious past of the Armed Forces.’

“We indispensable not contradict LGBT veterans the justness they are due, nor contradict the defence constitution this watershed infinitesimal successful which the values we stock contiguous regenerate those of the past.”

Campaigner Craig Jones, who heads up the foundation Fighting with Pride, said: “The backing intended for this strategy is inadequate and fails to instrumentality relationship of the shocking attraction inflicted upon a assemblage of veterans who defended our bid and freedom, but were treated successful a mode successful which the Prime Minister Said had brought dishonour to our nation.

“This is the infinitesimal for the authorities to bash the close thing.”

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We profoundly regret the attraction of LGBT serving unit betwixt 1967 and 2000, which was wholly unacceptable and does not bespeak today’s Armed Forces. We are afloat committed to ensuring this contented receives parliamentary scrutiny.

“We person already implemented 32 of the 49 recommendations from the LGBT veterans reappraisal and we are moving with experts crossed Government to found an due fiscal redress strategy and volition supply much details aboriginal this year.”