Deepcut: "Government Must Listen To Coroner's Call For Public Inquiry" - Opik

3.30.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 10th Mar 2006

Lembit Öpik, MP for Montgomeryshire and Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, today called on the Government to heed calls for a public inquiry into the deaths at the Deepcut Army Barracks.

At the end of an inquest into the death of James Collinson, who died at Deepcut in 2002, the Surrey Coroner, Michael Burgess, said there 'nothing to fear from an enquiry held in public where the various issues can be explored in greater depth.' The inquest recorded an open verdict.

Commenting, Lembit Öpik said:

"What more evidence does the Government need in order to set up a full independent public inquiry into the four deaths at the Deepcut barracks?

"Until now I have been cautious about calling for such an inquiry but with this absolutely clear statement by Mr. Burgess, the case has surely now been made for that inquiry to take place. It would beggar belief for the Government to ignore it.

"It may be reasonable for the Government to hold off until Nicholas Blake QC, has revealed his findings, but that is the only breathing space the Ministry of Defence has got. After that, it's time to act. Otherwise this will become yet another growing and painful embarrassment to the MOD."

Mr. Blake's Independent Review of the Deepcut deaths will conclude on March the 29th.