Veterans Tory 2025 Belfast News Letter

News Letter

The shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge MP, the veterans' spokesman Paul Young, and Mark Francois MP criticise the Labour government's handling of the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles, at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Tuesday October 7 2025. Video by  Ben Lowry, editor of the Belfast News Letter

Transcript

00:00Our veterans defended us, and now it's our turn to defend them.

00:05So can I ask you to join me in welcoming on the stage two of the staunchest defenders of veterans of the British Army,

00:11former soldier and spokesman for the Northern Ireland Veterans Movement, Paul Young,

00:16and my fellow Shadow Defence Minister, Mark Francois.

00:30Thank you, everybody. And Paul, can I begin by saying what a privilege it is to have you with us.

00:44And on behalf of our party, can I thank you and all of our veterans from Northern Ireland.

00:49Thank you, that's very good.

00:56Now, Paul, tell us about your service.

00:58Yeah, I first went to Belfast in 1971, in the winter of 71, 72.

01:06And as a young 21-year-old, I went to what I could only describe as pretty much hell.

01:13It was a horrible place.

01:15I still look at it in monochrome, in black and white, as I would see it.

01:20You had attacks all the time, night, day, it was relentless.

01:27Just to give you a little figure.

01:30From 1971, there were 44 soldiers murdered in Northern Ireland by the IRA.

01:36There were 1,064 shootings and there's many bombings going on by the IRA.

01:44In 1972, there were 10,661 shootings and over 5,000 bombings.

01:56And that's of villages and towns throughout the province.

02:00Can you imagine that?

02:01I mean, seriously, can you all imagine that?

02:03We've had incidents here in the UK, one or two, terrible though they are.

02:09But you imagine life where you've got that many every day.

02:13Every day.

02:14And Paul, having had that service, is that why you joined the veterans movement?

02:18Because it's such a key player.

02:19Yes.

02:20Well, I did many tours there.

02:22But what really did it for me was Dennis Hutchins.

02:27Dennis Hutchins was a regimental corporal major.

02:31Thanksody, thanks John.

02:35We're all�대was at Indonesia.

02:39I am Ihre Storyt счастье at Indonesia, thank youstander.

02:40So we have things nice and gracious.

02:42And now throwing it out.

02:43Thank you, sir yourself.

02:44Thank you so much, sir.

02:45darauf you have them come to the ground.

02:46I know it's true new.

02:48I know I know.

02:49Thank you for sharing this information, thank you.

02:51So we're all we are at the beach alternative and you are like it all.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended