Birmingham pub bombings: Relatives angry over no charge decision

Relatives of the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings accidental they are aggravated and disappointed astatine the determination not to bring immoderate transgression charges pursuing a reinvestigation.

Twenty-one radical were killed and much than 200 were injured erstwhile bombs went disconnected astatine 2 pubs connected 21 November 1974.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed connected Monday determination was insufficient grounds to bring charges.

Campaigner Julie Hambleton said a nationalist enquiry present had to happen.

No-one has been criminally convicted for the attacks and no-one has ever admitted responsibility, but it is believed the IRA was down them.

The bombings, 1 of the worst azygous losses of beingness during the Troubles, had been re-investigated by West Midlands Police aft inquests were yet held successful 2019.

The unit submitted a record of grounds to the CPS successful November 2022 astir an unnamed individual's suspected relation successful the bombings.

However, the CPS decided it could not positively place who planted the bombs but would enactment constabulary should determination beryllium further lines of inquiry.

Ms Hambleton, who mislaid her sister Maxine successful the blasts, said the determination showed that prosecuting radical implicit the Troubles was "off-limits" and tantamount to a "cover-up".

"In each honesty, we weren't surprised, but we're disappointed, arsenic we've been disappointed for the past 49 years," she said.

"That's each that the authorities person ever done - disappointed us."

Journalist Chris Mullin, whose enactment contributed to the merchandise successful 1991 of the six guiltless men known arsenic the Birmingham Six - whose convictions were quashed - said helium was not amazed by the CPS determination but questioned what a nationalist enquiry would achieve.

"Most of the radical liable for the bombings are dormant and galore of the police... are dead. It's 50 years since the bombings," helium said.

Ms Hambleton, however, argued that the announcement opened the doorway for a nationalist enquiry due to the fact that the Home Office had antecedently stated 1 could not hap portion a unrecorded constabulary probe was ongoing.

Relatives and campaigners volition conscionable the Home Office to sermon the option, which Ms Hambleton said they had been pushing for since 2014.

"You person Grenfell, Hillsborough, the Manchester Arena bombing and truthful on... each of them had nationalist inquiries and we basal with them enarthrosis to enarthrosis - they merit them," she said.

"Look what came retired astatine the Manchester Arena bombing - the information services person admitted liability for goodness involvement and yet we've been refused a pub inquiry.

"If they tin springiness it to one, they've got to springiness it to all. They can't prime and take due to the fact that if they do, there's nary equality."

Christopher Stanley, from KRW Law successful Belfast which represents 10 of the families, said they were looking astatine options but were "used to disappointment".

He said immoderate of the victims' relatives were present frail and precise aged and this was "their past opportunity".

"The vantage of a nationalist enquiry is it would beryllium independent, judge-led, and effectual information of the families would beryllium capable to compel witnesses... [and to] inquire the questions that person not already been asked," helium said.

West Midlands politician Andy Street said the CPS determination was astir apt not unexpected but inactive "very, precise disappointing" for the families and backed their calls for an inquiry.

"The contented present erstwhile you speech to the families is not having that certainty - you can't determination on," helium said.

In a connection connected Tuesday, West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Jayne Meir said: "We submitted each the grounds disposable to the Crown Prosecution Service for their information and we enactment their decision.

"Our thoughts stay with the families and victims of this unspeakable atrocity. We stay committed to bringing to justness those liable for the Birmingham pub bombings."