The fighting is over, but the veterans’ battle continues

To mark Armistice Day 2025, eight former four-star Generals and an Air Chief Marshal published an open letter in The Times to Sir Keir Starmer, warning that the European Convention on Human Rights is being used in ways that blunt Britain’s fighting edge and weaken the moral contract between the state and those who serve it.They argue that the Government’s Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, if enacted, would erode trust in the nation’s legal system, blur the line between legitimate authority and illegitimate violence, and create a direct threat to national security.Days later, the Troubles Bill passed its second reading in Westminster. Former Parachute Regiment Lt Col Simon Barry flew from South Africa to be there. Justiceforveterans.uk caught up with him in the aftermath—to unpack the letter, what he did before the debate, and what he witnessed inside the House of Commons.This is Justiceforveterans.uk’s “One Last Mission” podcast.In this episode·       Why senior commanders have gone public—now·       The “moral contract” argument, and what happens when it breaks·       What Westminster felt like on the day of the second reading·       What veterans want: clarity, fairness, and closure—without rewriting historyNote: Views expressed are those of the guests and host, and do not necessarily reflect those of any organisation mentioned.