Birmingham pub bombings: Relatives angry over no charge decision

By Caroline Gall & PA Media

BBC News, West Midlands

Relatives of the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings say they are angry and disappointed at the decision not to bring any criminal charges following a reinvestigation.

Twenty-one people were killed and more than 200 were injured when bombs went off at two pubs on 21 November 1974.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed on Monday there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.

Campaigner Julie Hambleton said a public inquiry now had to happen.

No-one has been criminally convicted for the attacks and no-one has ever admitted responsibility, but it is believed the IRA was behind them.

The bombings, one of the worst single losses of life during the Troubles, had been re-investigated by West Midlands Police after inquests were finally held in 2019.

The force submitted a file of evidence to the CPS in November 2022 about an unnamed individual’s suspected role in the bombings.

However, the CPS decided it could not positively identify who planted the bombs but would support police should there be further lines of inquiry.

Ms Hambleton, who lost her sister Maxine in the blasts, said the decision showed that prosecuting people over the Troubles was “off-limits” and tantamount to a “cover-up”.

“In all honesty, we weren’t surprised, but we’re disappointed, as we’ve been disappointed for the last 49 years,” she said.

“That’s all that the authorities have ever done – disappointed us.”

Journalist Chris Mullin, whose work contributed to the release in 1991 of the six innocent men known as the Birmingham Six – whose convictions were quashed – said he was not surprised by the CPS decision but questioned what a public inquiry would achieve.

“Most of the people responsible for the bombings are dead and many of the police… are dead. It’s 50 years since the bombings,” he said.

Ms Hambleton, however, argued that the announcement opened the door for a public inquiry because the Home Office had previously stated one could not happen while a live police investigation was ongoing.

Relatives and campaigners will meet the Home Office to discuss the option, which Ms Hambleton said they had been pushing for since 2014.

“You have Grenfell, Hillsborough, the Manchester Arena bombing and so on… all of them had public inquiries and we stand with them shoulder to shoulder – they deserve them,” she said.

“Look what came out at the Manchester Arena bombing – the security services have admitted liability for goodness sake and yet we’ve been refused a pub inquiry.

“If they can give it to one, they’ve got to give it to all. They can’t pick and choose because if they do, there’s no equality.”

Christopher Stanley, from KRW Law in Belfast which represents 10 of the families, said they were looking at options but were “used to disappointment”.

He said some of the victims’ relatives were now frail and very old and this was “their last opportunity”.

“The advantage of a public inquiry is it would be independent, judge-led, and effective participation of the families would be able to compel witnesses… [and to] ask the questions that have not already been asked,” he said.

West Midlands mayor Andy Street said the CPS decision was probably not unexpected but still “very, very disappointing” for the families and backed their calls for an inquiry.

“The issue here when you talk to the families is not having that certainty – you can’t move on,” he said.

In a statement on Tuesday, West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Jayne Meir said: “We submitted all the evidence available to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration and we note their decision.

“Our thoughts remain with the families and victims of this terrible atrocity. We remain committed to bringing to justice those responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings.”

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