Newly uncovered emails reveal that legal representatives of the Government were aware of the exposure of troops to radioactive fallout but chose not to disclose this information during court proceedings.
The Treasury Solicitor’s department received a whistleblowing report in November 2014, shortly after a judge had ordered new hearings, yet this crucial data was never shared with the court. Consequently, the case was unsuccessful two years later due to a lack of evidence proving that servicemen had been exposed.
This revelation coincides with expectations of an upcoming announcement in Parliament regarding the findings of a two-year investigation into missing medical records and human experimentation, commonly referred to as the “Nuked Blood Scandal.”
One widow, Anna Smith, who had been fighting the Ministry of Defence for a war pension, expressed outrage, stating, “It’s evil. It’s perverting the course of justice. There’s no moral compass. We spent years in court, the grief and the burden of it, the solicitors who spent hours fighting on our behalf, and it was a waste of time. And all these people knew. Why didn’t they say?”
Barry, Anna’s late husband, was stationed on Christmas Island in 1959 by the RAF and later developed pancreatic cancer. Despite his health issues, the Ministry of Defence denied his widow’s claim, asserting he had never been in a contaminated area.
In a separate development, whistleblowers uncovered evidence of radioactive fallout at Christmas Island, contrary to the MoD’s longstanding denial of any risk. The fallout was detected in various sources, including fish, rainwater, seawater, and the air, following a series of thermonuclear blasts known as Operation Grapple.
Email correspondence obtained through Freedom of Information requests revealed discrepancies in the official stance on fallout, prompting internal reviews and discussions among MoD staff. The report containing whistleblowing evidence was forwarded to various senior officials within the MoD for guidance.
Legal representatives involved in the veterans’ case have expressed concern over the nondisclosure of crucial documents during legal proceedings, suggesting potential misconduct. Thames Valley Police have been informed of these concerns, and a call for swift action has been made to the Prime Minister for further investigation.
Although the emails were presented to ministers in March, no official response has been issued to date. The Ministry of Defence clarified that the document in question was an unfinished draft and not an official company record, emphasizing their commitment to collaborating with veterans and addressing their grievances.
