3 June 2026
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP has welcomed the Prime Minister's apology to the families of those killed in the Springhill/Westrock area in July 1972.
The SDLP has long supported the families in their pursuit of truth and justice and believes the Prime Minister's statement represents an important acknowledgement of the innocence of those who were killed.
Commenting, Claire Hanna MP said:
"All five people killed in the Springhill/Westrock area were innocent. Today's apology reinforces the findings of the inquest earlier this year and confirms a truth that families and the wider community have known for more than five decades.
"While it can never undo the loss and grief of families, we by now know the healing power of information, acknowledgement and apologies for many families.
"It should never have taken more than 50 years for these families to receive this acknowledgement. I pay tribute to them for their strength and determination on this difficult journey. The failure of successive governments to provide effective, ECHR-compliant legacy mechanisms has denied families the truth and accountability they deserve for far too long."
SDLP West Belfast representative Gerard McDonald said:
"The deaths of these innocent civilians stand as another stark example of British soldiers acting with impunity during the conflict.
"The British Government must now review its position in light of the Dillon judgment and address the clear deficiencies held by victims and survivors. There remains an urgent need for a legacy mechanism capable of delivering independence, full disclosure and effective investigations.
"The Irish Government, working alongside its European partners, should also assess the implications of the Dillon judgment for the commitment to non-diminution of rights for all citizens living in Northern Ireland."