London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

Pat Finucane: No public inquiry into Belfast lawyer's murder

Pat Finucane: No public inquiry into Belfast lawyer's murder

A public inquiry into state collusion in the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane will not take place at this time, the government has said.

Mr Finucane was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries from the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) in February 1989.

His family had fought a long campaign, involving numerous legal actions, in a bid to have London fulfil a commitment given 20 years ago to hold an inquiry.

Several examinations of the case found state forces colluded in his murder.

NI Secretary Brandon Lewis said he had taken the decision due to other review processes needing to run their course.

He discussed the outcome with Mr Finucane's family, shortly before outlining the details in the House of Commons.

"I am not taking the possibility of a public inquiry off the table at this stage, but it is important we allow ongoing PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) and Police Ombudsman processes to move forward," he said.

But Mr Finucane's widow Geraldine said the government's decision "makes a mockery" of previous rulings.

Decision 'another added insult'


"The proposal falls so far short of what it required in this case that it beggars belief," she said in a statement on Monday.

"It makes a mockery of the decision by the UK Supreme Court and the forthright comments of Belfast High Court.

"It is yet another insult added to a deep and lasting injury."

Her son, John Finucane, who is the Sinn Féin MP for North Belfast, said his family was angry and upset at the decision.

"To sit in a room with us today and present this as something credible, and ask for us to support that, it was astonishing," he said.

"I thought it was exceptionally arrogant and cruel of the secretary of state on behalf of his government.

"The British government, at every opportunity, will continue to make the wrong decision, and will put all of their efforts into ensuring that the truth as to what happened with the murder of my father - the full truth - will not see the light of day."

But Mr Lewis said while he understood the family's disappointment, he believed his approach was the "right way forward".

Police review


The government had been forced into taking a decision following two legal actions - one involving the UK Supreme Court in February last year.

The Supreme Court found there had never been an adequate investigation into the murder, but stopped short of directing a public inquiry, ruling it was entirely a matter for the government.

Further government information including details that were not presented during the Supreme Court case have now been published, said Mr Lewis.

Mr Lewis said the PSNI also intends to begin a process of review into the murder of Mr Finucane early next year.

This was an important development and a factor in determining the next steps in the case, he said.

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said it was his organisation's view that there were "currently no new lines of inquiry", and would now determine if a further review was merited given previous investigations.

Any review would need to be conducted independently, he added.

"A review itself is not an investigation. Any decision to investigate would only be made following the review process," Mr Byrne said.



This was a decision the Finucane family has heard before - but their anger has been compounded by how they say the government has handled the matter this time.

Clearly the government says it is something that can be revisited, but the process has already lasted decades.

It is not clear how long the PSNI and Police Ombudsman reviews will take - it does not seem like they will be resolved quickly.

Will this Conservative government end up having to address the matter again, or could it end up in the hands of a Labour administration, who have expressed support for a public inquiry?

There are also wider questions now about where this leaves the current government's handling of legacy issues in Northern Ireland more generally, let alone in handling the Finucane case.

The government said it will determine at the end of these current processes whether further investigation would be required, to ensure it has complied with its legal obligations.

In his role as a defence solicitor, Mr Finucane had represented both loyalists and republicans, including prominent members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

The claim made by his killers, that he was a member of the IRA himself, was rejected by the police and strongly denied by his family.


Geraldine Finucane has long maintained that a public inquiry into her husband's death is the only way to establish the full truth


The 39-year-old was shot 14 times by two gunmen who burst into his north Belfast home during a family dinner in February 1989.

They have claimed that collusion went to the top of government and maintain only a public inquiry can bring full disclosure.

Support for public inquiry


Such an inquiry had been supported by the Irish government, Labour and four Northern Ireland political parties - Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Alliance and the Green Party.

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said he was disappointed by the decision and would study the detail of the announcement in full.

Labour's Shadow NI Secretary Louise Haigh criticised her Conservative counterpart's approach, and said confidence in his handling of legacy issues was "in short supply amongst victims".

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said only a full public inquiry would get to the truth, and accused the government of being "determined to hide the story of collusion".

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood described the outcome as a "disgraceful" attempt to bury the truth, and said the British government was "unilaterally dismantling the agreed approach to legacy".

Alliance MP Stephen Farry said Mr Lewis had failed miserably and expressed concerns that the government was "turning back the clock" on historical legacy investigations.

But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) welcomed Mr Lewis's decision.

DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said what was needed was a "holistic approach", and a wider legacy process to deal with all outstanding cases.

UUP assembly member (MLA) Doug Beattie said there could not be a "hierarchy of victims".


No inquiry into Finucane murder announced


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
×