‘Too little too late’ after UK government offers military ‘gay ban’ apology
”I lost my career, home and family ... all for being gay - how can that be made up for?" says one veteran
By Dale Fox
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has offered a formal apology for the impact of the so-called ‘gay ban’ in the British armed forces.
However, one veteran has responded by saying the gesture is “too little too late.”
The ban, which existed until 2000, prohibited gay, lesbian and bisexual people from serving openly in the military.
In a statement read out in parliament on 19 July, Sunak expressed regret on behalf of the government for the suffering caused by the ban. Today also marks the long-awaited publication of an independent review (PDF) into it, led by Lord Etherton.
The review makes over 60 recommendations, including substantial financial reparations for those affected. It is the culmination of over 20 years of campaigning by LGBTQ+ veterans for justice.
However, some veterans have told charity Fighting With Pride that the apology doesn’t go far enough to fix the trauma. In 2020, ex-Royal Navy officer Craig Jones and ex-RAF navigator Caroline Paige founded the charity to continue the fight for fair compensation. Both were present in parliament to witness the Prime Minister’s words.
Jones and Paige welcomed the apology but stressed the government must now take swift action so veterans receive the reparations they deserve. They called for an urgent hardship fund for those in desperate need. They also called for a comprehensive scheme to remedy lost earnings.
“It’s really sad – many have taken their own lives”
Many dismissed under the ban endured intrusive investigations and criminal charges, while some underwent traumatic so-called ‘conversion therapy’, including the adminstration of electric shocks, according to Lord Etherton’s review.
Carol Morgan served in the army from 1978 till 1984 before being thrown out. She described her dismissal as the most heartbreaking day of her life.
”I lost my career, home and family. I had to ‘out’ myself to my father. All for being gay – how can that be made up for,” she said in a statement from Fighting with Pride.
“As service personnel, prepared to put our lives on the line for our country, we were disregarded. The apology offers me some comfort but for others, it’s too little too late. It’s really sad – many have taken their own lives.”
Ex-RAF officer Ken Wright told Fighting with Pride he was considered a “rising star” before being forced out in 1990 for revealing his sexuality.
“I can’t think of a greater insult than to be told, ‘Your country doesn’t want you’. Carrying that insult for 35 years scars you for life,” he said. He added: “I accept the Prime Minister’s apology with good grace, diluted by melancholy for what might have been.”