Financial redress for LGBT veterans must be sped up, MPs to urge ministers
A group of MPs will push for the redress scheme for veterans who suffered under the so-called 'gay ban' to be rolled out as quickly as possible.
LGBT people in the military were abused, assaulted, and dishonourably discharged without pay, and went on to suffer lifelong consequences when their sexuality was discovered in the pre-2000 era.
The £75 million redress scheme set up in December offers payments of up to £70,000 to each veteran to 'acknowledge the historic wrongs they experienced in the armed forces'.
Some 84 veterans out of the 1,300 who have applied for the financial payment have been paid so far, according to Fighting with Pride, a charity advocating for the veterans.
While the charity has welcomed efforts by the Government to roll out the scheme, it is warning many veterans are now ageing and in poor health and are in need of financial help in their later years.
Liberal Democrat MP Jess Brown-Fuller will lead the Wednesday afternoon Westminster Hall debate on the financial redress scheme for the veterans.
Ahead of the debate the Chichester MP described the matter as a 'crucial issue'.
She added: 'Members of the armed forces who put their life on the line for our country were dismissed in huge numbers for simply daring to be who they are.
'Many faced verbal and physical abuse that stripped veterans not only of their career but of their dignity.
'It's a scandal that the compensation they are rightly owed has been so delayed.'
Peter Gibson, chief executive of Fighting With Pride, said: 'It's vital affected veterans get swift justice.
'Many are in their 60s, 70s and 80s – many with poor mental and physical health. Put simply, they don't have time to wait.
'The debate in Westminster serves as an important reminder to Government to speed up consideration of the applications for financial reparations and improve communications.
'Every submission details someone's painful memories of being shunned by the military family; of bullying, intimidation and in some cases criminal convictions and prison.'
Mr Gibson met this week with veterans minister Al Carns, where he said the charity 'passed on the real experiences and frustrations of veterans'.
A series of recommendations to improve the redress scheme were 'received warmly', he added.
'We're confident – and determined – we'll see improvements which finally deliver the justice impacted veterans deserve,' Mr Gibson said.
The Ministry of Defence was contacted for comment.
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I've been covering the story of Trump in Scotland since 2006 and have come to realise that to understand the relationship between the two you have to start with him flying in to Scotland with that grand plan to pay tribute to his beloved mum. There had been a few months of speculation before Trump confirmed his plans in March 2006. He said he'd been looking to build a links golf course in Europe for years. "My preference was Scotland over any other country, because I am half Scottish - my mother, Mary MacLeod, is from Stornoway," he said. "When I saw this piece of land I was overwhelmed by the imposing dunes and rugged Aberdeenshire coastline. I knew that this was the perfect site. "The complex will cover a large area of sand dunes. I have never seen such an unspoilt and dramatic seaside landscape, and the location makes it perfect for our development." There's a certain irony there. The unspoilt nature of those dunes at Balmedie would become central to the reaction which grew up against Trump. Some of the land he bought was under protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The shifting sand dune system along that stretch of coast north of Aberdeen was regarded as one of the finest examples of its kind in the UK. What followed was a protracted and often bitter planning dispute that went all the way to the heart of the Scottish government. The conservation agency Scottish Natural Heritage had warned a planning inquiry that the development would seriously damage the SSSI. The local council turned down the development, but permission was later granted by Scottish government ministers on the basis that the potential economic benefit would outweigh any environmental harm. The development went ahead in the face of protests from environmental groups and calls for professional golfers not to attend the official opening in 2012. In 2020, it was announced the dunes at Balmedie had lost their SSSI status. The dunes are now said to not include enough special features. Trump International described the move as "highly politicised". The long-running environmental dispute probably turned many against the Trump plans. But there was also a human story developing and this really captured the public's imagination. Quite quickly in the development process, Trump became involved in a public fight with two of the site's neighbours. Michael Forbes and David and Moira Milne own properties next to the Trump course. They declined to sell their land and the tycoon went on the offensive. On one visit he was filmed looking up at the Milnes' home - actually a rather striking converted coastguard station which sits high on a hill overlooking the course - saying "I want to get rid of that house". He was told by an employee that this could cause a "bit of stir" and replied: "Who cares? We are going to build the greatest golf course in the world, this house is ugly." Trump also accused local farmer and salmon fisherman Michael Forbes of living in a "pig-like atmosphere". Mr Forbes and the Milnes became folk heroes to Trump's critics. The Milnes flew a Mexican flag outside their home in a protest against plans to build a wall on the southern US border. Speaking on a US comedy show in 2017, Mr Forbes branded the president a "clown", adding: "The only regret I have is I didn't knock him on his arse when I met him". It should be said many welcomed Trump's interest in Scotland, especially at the start. He enjoyed the qualified support of Jack McConnell and Alex Salmond's governments. The sort of inward investment he promised doesn't come along every day. The former head of the economic agency Scottish Enterprise, Jack Perry, later described being "profoundly dismayed" when councillors turned down the planning application. Speaking to BBC Scotland for a documentary I made with my colleague Glenn Campbell in 2017, he said: "I found it hard to credit. You're saying, 'No' to Donald Trump? Remember, this is before he was involved in politics and had the kind of toxic brand that he has now." Local chambers of commerce, business leaders and many councillors backed the project. Stewart Spence, who died earlier this year, ran the luxury Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen for more than 40 years. As an influential business leader in the city, he was an early supporter of Trump and his plans, recognising the potential value for the local economy. Speaking in 2017, he said: "I knew that this was a man that wouldn't do anything unless it was the best in the world. And that was always what he was known for." The two became friends, with Trump gifting him membership at the club. Trump was made a business ambassador by Jack McConnell in 2006 and awarded an honorary degree by Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University four years later. All of these can be easily justified by the need to do business with powerful business and political leaders. And there are those today advocating for better relations with Donald Trump. Writing in The Times newspaper ahead of the recent UK-US trade deal, the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar argued: "President Trump's affinity for Scotland is real, regardless of what people think of his politics. "His family's investments in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire are real and significant. They have created jobs, attracted tourism, and demonstrated that Scotland remains an attractive destination for global investment. "I am sure at times they have felt frustrated at doing business in Scotland, but the potential benefits of having the president of the United States as an advocate for others to invest in Scotland should be obvious." But many at the top of Scottish politics turned away from Trump years before he won the 2016 election. In 2012, he travelled to the Scottish Parliament to argue against a wind farm being built in the North Sea, within sight of his development. He went on to fight a court action against the plans. And when he lost, he turned his ire on Scotland's politicians, especially ministers. The man who had once called Salmond "a tremendous representative of the people of Scotland" who had done "a fantastic job", now said, "You're going to have riots all over Scotland, because Alex Salmond is going to destroy the natural beauty of Scotland". The economic benefits of the Aberdeenshire golf course - which had tipped the argument for ministers - also came into question as the years passed. Trump promised a £1bn project creating hundreds of jobs. According to an investigation by BBC Scotland in 2024, the latest accounts showed the facility has a net book value of £33.2m and 81 employees. In addition to the golf course, the original proposal also included approval for a 450-room hotel, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas and 500 houses for sale. None of these elements, and the thousands of new jobs promised, have materialised. The golf resort had yet to turn a profit, racking up £13.3m in losses since it opened. President Trump is expected to open the second course at the site while on his latest visit. He's also likely to visit the Trump Turnberry resort in Ayrshire. Bought in 2014 for $60m, at its centre is the Ailsa course with its rich history of hosting the Open Championship. In the wake of the Washington riots in 2021, the organisers of The Open announced that it would not be held at Turnberry as long as its links to the Trump Organisation remain. In recent months, there have been suggestions this may change. Turnberry has became the focus of many of the protests against Trump throughout his presidency and beyond. It's where the late comedian Janey Godley was pictured holding a very blunt placard and buildings on the course have been the subject of recent vandalism in protest at the president's comments on Gaza. Trump's low regard among most Scots remains a live issue. If anything, his return to the White House has energised his critics and his name on Scottish businesses gives them a focus for their anger. As Scotland gets ready for Trump's return, there are concerns about the cost of policing such a high-profile occasion, and talk of further public protests. So what will all this mean when the president flies into Scotland later this month? Donald Trump has an almost unparalleled talent for courting controversy, getting into fights and provoking his opponents. It would be a stretch to imagine he cares very much whether people turn out and protest his visit. As someone who thrives on all kinds of publicity he might, in fact, welcome it. It would be even more of a stretch to believe angry Scots hitting the streets to march against him will change his mind on anything. People will likely protest and, though he has his supporters and those who believe Scotland ought to make more of the connection, the voices raised against him will probably be the loudest across the days he spends in his mother's homeland. But the last 20 years suggest he won't necessarily be listening. Craig Williams produced and directed the documentary Donald Trump: Scotland's President for BBC Scotland in 2017.
