Responding to the Government’s statement today (Wednesday) about Lord Etherton’s LGBT Veterans Independent Review, Royal British Legion Interim Director General Antony Baines said:
“The Royal British Legion welcomes the Government’s statement in response to the Etherton Review. We are pleased to hear the Government accepts the recommendations of the Review and has today taken steps to invite those affected by the ban to apply for restorative measures and indicate interest in the compensation scheme.
“The Royal British Legion will play our part in ensuring those affected by the ban are aware of the scheme and are supported to apply. We remain concerned that an arbitrary cap on the total amount that will be offered in compensation is unfair.
“As the Prime Minister said in his apology on behalf of the nation on 19th July 2023, the ban on service was, “an appalling failure of the British State”. Many of those who stepped up to serve our country were then subject to criminalisation, loss of earnings and pensions, and abuse, and we owe it to them to recognise the sacrifices they made and compensate them for the harms they endured.”
