The Ulster Unionist Party’s former South Antrim MP, Danny Kinahan, has welcomed comments by Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn in which he condemned the IRA’s bombing campaign in the 1980s.  

Danny Kinahan said:

"I obviously welcome the letter from Jeremy Corbyn to the Hyde Park Justice Campaign in which offers a greater degree of support than has thus far been the case.

“Mr Corbyn states that he ‘deplores all acts of lethal violence which take innocent lives. That applies to the IRA bombing campaign in the 1980s as well as acts of terrorism we have witnessed in Manchester and London in recent months.”

“In welcoming his comments I am somewhat puzzled as to why he refers specifically to the IRA campaign of the 1980s, and not in its entirety, given that atrocities were also committed in the 1970s, and 1990s, but this is at least some progress.

“The 1982 Hyde Park bombing which claimed the lives of four soldiers and seven cavalry horses, was one of many heinous crimes committed by the IRA during the Troubles. On the same day the IRA also detonated a separate bomb at Regent’s Park, which killed seven bandsmen of the Royal Green Jackets.

“One of those murdered at Hyde Park that day was Lieutenant Anthony Daly who was married just four weeks previously. I remember that because I was his best man, and shortly after his murder I commanded his burial party.

“I welcome Mr Corbyn’s interest in the difficulties which the Hyde Park Justice Campaign has had in accessing legal aid to pursue a civil court action against the chief suspect in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing, John Downey.

“The families deserve the right for Downey to be held to account in a court of law for the murder of their loved ones, and I urge everyone to get behind this campaign so justice can be done.

“You can help the families by making a donation using crowdjustice.org at https://www.crowdjustice.org/case/hyde-park-justice/ and follow @hydeparkjustice on Twitter for news and updates about the campaign.”