MPs back calls for Birmingham pub bombings inquiry

Two MPs person backed calls for a nationalist enquiry into the Birmingham pub bombings aft the metropolis marked the 50th anniversary.

Sarah Edwards, Labour MP for Tamworth, and Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Conservative MP for Solihull West and Shirley, some said the victims and their families deserved "closure".

Twenty-one radical were killed and 220 injured successful the IRA bombings astatine the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern successful the Town connected 21 November 1974.

Six guiltless men, known arsenic the Birmingham Six, served much than 16 years successful situation for the atrocity, but the existent perpetrators were ne'er brought to justice.

Edwards, who is primitively from Birmingham, told BBC Politics Midlands: "I deliberation it perfectly makes consciousness that they [the victims and families] tin get that closure.

"I deliberation it's truly bully we're proceeding affirmative things from the authorities astir the information they are considering it."

She said if an enquiry were to happen, it would request to beryllium done successful "the close way" truthful families could consciousness assured they would "get the answers they want".

Shastri-Hurst, who besides grew up successful Birmingham, said helium was calved 9 years aft the bombings and described it arsenic a "cloud that covered the city".

"I deliberation it is close that we person a nationalist inquiry," helium said.

"Families request closure connected this - they've had the inquests, but they haven't had galore answers to their questions.

"I deliberation the clip has travel and we request to get connected with it."

Events were held crossed the metropolis connected Thursday to people 5 decades since the bombings, and connected Friday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said a determination connected an enquiry would beryllium made arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Pressed connected however overmuch longer families would person to wait, helium said: "We'll support talking to them and prosecute and travel to a determination arsenic rapidly arsenic we can."