Prime Minister Theresa May plans strict reforms to stop wild allegations about British troops hounded by law firms
Reform package is expected to include a strict time limit on when claims can be made against troops in war zones
THERESA May will unveil a fresh assault on war crimes witch hunts next week to ensure wild allegations against troops never get off the ground again.
The PM’s reform package – to be announced at Tories’ annual conference in Birmingham - is expected to include a strict time limit on when claims can be made against British personnel in war zones.
Changes to human rights laws cynically exploited by lawyers are also being looked at to slap a geographical limit on their remit.
Revealing her intentions, Mrs May said she is determined to ensure British troops are never again hounded by tank-chasing law firms.
Meeting soldiers from 1 Mercians in Bulford, Wilts, the PM insisted her action will ensure that “when the men and women of our armed forces go out there on our behalf they have our full backing”.
Mrs May added: “If there are credible allegations of criminal behaviour, of course those should be properly investigated.
“But what we need to take action on is this issue of vexatious claims.
“We are looking at seeing what we can do and I am hoping we will be able to announce some further steps in the next few days.”
No10 aides insist the package goes a lot further than David Cameron’s first bid to halt the shameful claims industry in January.
The then Tory PM enforced tough penalties on law firms who pursue suspect claims to deter them from doing so in the future.
But Downing Street also last night admitted Mrs May will not go so far as closing down hated Iraq Historical Allegations Team – which is currently probing more than 1,000 claims against war vets.
Campaigning former Army officer Tory MP Johnny Mercer told The Sun: “The PM’s package is a step in the right direction.
“Until she addresses the application of the Human Rights Act on soldiers in combat zones, we will always have a problem.
“This is within her gift to change this, by establishing an exemption for combat operations, as the French do.”