Brown's U-Turn on IRA Compensation Sparks Controversy

Gordon Brown was forced to offer support to IRA victims seeking compensation from Libya last night, after outrage greeted the revelation he had told them it would not be "appropriate" for him to get involved. Speaking in Berlin, Prime Minister Brown said he cared "enormously" about the impact of IRA terror on victims and their families. Despite this, opposition politicians lined up to criticise Mr Brown, saying his announcement was evidence of a government in a "disastrous mess and muddle".

Key Takeaways:

• Gordon Brown told lawyer Jason McCue last October that the UK government did not consider it "appropriate" to enter into a bilateral discussion with Libya on IRA compensation.
• Brown has since announced that he will provide dedicated Foreign Office staff to assist victims in seeking direct talks with Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi in Libya within the next few weeks.
• Opposition politicians have criticised Brown's U-turn, saying it shows a government in "disastrous mess and muddle".
• The British government has faced criticism for failing to support families of IRA victims in their pursuit of compensation from Libya.
• Brown has called for an international conference on the future of Afghanistan to be held before the end of this year with key players, including Nato and the United Nations.

Statistics:

• The IRA's campaign of terror in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s used Semtex supplied by Libya.
• 20 years of successive governments have raised the issue of Libyan support for the IRA, but only now has the UK government offered formal support for compensation.
• The international conference on Afghanistan's future is to be held before the end of this year, bringing together key players including Nato, the United Nations, and the newly-elected Afghan government.

Sources:

• AP
• Gordon Brown's office