Cross-party pressure on Home Secretary
MPs have renewed calls for a full public inquiry into the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings, with demands intensifying for the Home Secretary to act “now” to deliver justice for the victims’ families.
In a Commons debate led by Liam Byrne, Labour MP for Hodge Hill and Solihull North, cross-party politicians urged the government to establish a judge-led inquiry into the IRA attacks that killed 21 people and injured more than 200.
Byrne criticised the 2019 inquest, which ruled the deaths were unlawful but failed to identify those responsible.
“To this day, not one person has been brought to justice,” he said.
Witnesses who claim to know the perpetrators have never been compelled to testify.
Andy Street’s persistent advocacy
The case continues to grip the city. During his tenure, former West Midlands Mayor Sir Andy Street campaigned relentlessly for a statutory inquiry, making it a key part of his regional leadership. He worked closely with campaigners and used his platform to lobby Westminster on their behalf.
Victims’ families demand justice
Labour MPs Paulette Hamilton and Laurence Turner echoed Byrne’s demands. Turner warned, “We may not be out of time, but time is running out,” referring to the risk of vital evidence being lost.
Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine was among the dead, leads the Justice for the 21 campaign and said only a judge-led inquiry would compel key witnesses and grant access to critical documents.
“We’ve been told for 50 years they don’t exist, but we know they do,” she said.
Government response under scrutiny
Home Office minister Dan Jarvis confirmed that the bombings could be investigated by the newly established Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
However, victims’ families and their legal representatives have strongly rejected this route, calling it insufficient and lacking the legal powers of a public inquiry.
With political, legal and civic pressure building, families say the time for answers and accountability is long overdue.
