British government has a responsibility to fund legacy inquests: McGuinness

The British government has a responsibility to fund legacy inquests, Sinn Fein Foyle MLA Martin McGuinness has said.

Speaking after meeting British Secretary of State James Brokenshire, the Deputy First Minister (pictured) said the British government had a responsibility to the families of victims to “fully address the legacy of the conflict.”

He added: "To date they have abjectly failed to live up to that responsibility.

"Following the meeting at which there was deep frustration among the Ballymurphy families about the continued failure of the British Secretary of State and British government, there is an increasing onus on the British government to stop the excuses and provide funding for legacy inquests.

"They need to listen to the Lord Chief Justice and release the money immediately.

"Families have been waiting for 45 years for the truth.”

Mr McGuinness said: “The British government needs to implement its agreements on maximum disclosure to victims of the conflict and end its practice of denying families access to truth on bogus national security grounds.”