Wes Streeting urges LGBTQ+ veterans to claim gay ban compensation before deadline

Wes Streeting has issued a final plea to veterans who endured historical mistreatment in the armed forces due to their sexuality to come forward, with fewer than 50 days remaining to seek financial justice. The Defence Secretary raised concerns people could “pass on before receiving justice”, and urged those impacted to apply to the scheme. LGBTQ+ former servicemen and women have until December 12 to apply to the financial redress scheme for those affected by the pre-2000 "gay ban" in the military. The ban, which remained in place until 2000 - long after homosexuality was decriminalised - saw thousands dismissed from the Army, Royal Navy and RAF. Many of them were hounded, bullied, outed against their will or even imprisoned because of their sexuality. For many years the Mirror has supported LGBTQ+ Armed Forces charity Fighting With Pride's campaign for LGBT Veterans to get the recognition, support and compensation they deserve. Backing our campaign, the Defence Secretary said: “The Mirror and Fighting With Pride deserve enormous credit for campaigning for justice for LGBT veterans who were so shamefully mistreated. “These were people whose commitment to this country was such that they put on a uniform and were prepared to lay down their lives for it. Yet for the audacity of loving someone of the same sex, they were drummed out of the Armed Forces. Others felt compelled to leave. That was a shameful chapter in our history. “Many of these veterans are ageing. We cannot let people pass on before receiving justice. “My message to anyone who has not yet applied is clear: please don’t put it off until next week. The deadline is 12 December. We want everyone eligible to hear that message and apply.” The Cabinet minister also paid tribute to Britain’s LBGT personnel and how they “strengthened” the Armed Forces. He continued: “They bring the judgement, integrity and courage we need to defend this country. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity hasn’t been. “We have come a long way. An institution that banned people like me from serving now has an openly gay Defence Secretary. But recognising that progress means recognising those who were denied the opportunity to serve.” There were also calls from former intelligence analyst Pam Johnson, who was forced to resign in the early 1970’s when a love letter was found to another female soldier. She said: “I had no choice but to run away from the job and career I loved. I even had to buy myself out of service. Can you imagine? I was an intelligence analyst and being in the army was like a second skin in my family. The whole thing has hurt so badly. “I’m 74 years old now, but when I got rejected this year from the biggest payment because I didn’t have a piece of paper to say I was sacked. It’s an absolute insult. It hurts all over again, makes me sore again. In fact, with all the angst it’s caused it’s made me quite annoyed. “I just want the penny pinching to stop. The government needs to do right by all of us who served and suffered. “ Peter Gibson, CEO of Fighting With Pride said: "With less than fifty days to go before the hard stop deadline to secure justice, it’s more important than ever that everyone comes forward before 12th December and applies for the financial and non-financial schemes. No one must be left behind. "We continue to campaign for justice for all and are encouraged that the Wes Streeting the Defence Secretary is showing a personal understanding of the need to do right by those ‘drummed out’ and ‘compelled to leave’ the Armed Forces. “That must now translate into action. It’s more urgent than ever to tackle the unfinished business: change the 'computers says no’ approach that has meant pre- 1967 Veterans are denied even a special (Etherton) ribbon and include Veterans who were kicked out after 2000 when the rules changed, but attitudes hadn’t."