Decision on Finucane public inquiry due in weeks

Pat Finucane was shot 14 times by two masked gunmen in front of his young family

The new Labour government is facing a decision over continuing calls by the family of Pat Finucane for a public inquiry into his murder by loyalists in 1989.

Mr Finucane, 39, was a prominent solicitor who was shot at home by Ulster Defence Association (UDA) paramilitaries in front of his wife and children.

It follows a Court of Appeal ruling in Belfast, which gives the government weeks to deal with the issue.

Mr Finucane’s son, John, who is the Sinn Féin MP for North Belfast, described the outcome as being “of huge significance”.

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said it will give the ruling “careful consideration”.

For years, the Finucane family has campaigned for a public inquiry, after several examinations of the case found state forces colluded in the 1989 murder.

The MP John Finucane is one of the victim's three children

In 2019, the UK Supreme Court declared that earlier investigations failed to meet standards required by Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Since then, the solicitor’s widow, Geraldine Finucane, has mounted a series of legal battles over the government’s response to the findings.

In the latest case, Lord Justice Horner set out a timetable for action.

He gave the government and Mrs Finucane three weeks to agree on an Article 2 compliant investigation into Mr Finucane's killing.

He said if there is no agreement, a further three weeks will be granted to allow parties to submit their own proposals.

"The court will endeavour to select from the two choices put forward by the respective parties," the judge said.

"In the unlikely event that the court is unable to choose either of the choices put forward, the court reserves the right to order its own Article 2 compliant process for the investigation into the callous and brutal murder of Mr Finucane as a last resort.”

John Finucane told BBC News NI: “The Court of Appeal has been scathing on the delay by the government to follow up on the Supreme Court judgement.

“As a family, we are ready to talk to the new British government because one thing is clear - the courts have once again found emphatically on our behalf and we want to move forward.

“There needs to be a public inquiry.

“Every other thing the British government has tried over 35 years has been rejected by the courts.”

In a statement the NIO said: “The UK government acknowledges the terrible suffering caused to the Finucane family by the appalling murder.

“In 2012 the then Prime Minister David Cameron apologised for state collusion in the murder.

“We will give careful consideration to the court’s full written judgement and will make a decision without undue delay.

“We are committed to transparency and openness, regardless of whether or not that may be uncomfortable, including for the government itself.”