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| Birmingham pub bombings: Families call for government funding for legal fees | Birmingham pub bombings: Families call for government funding for legal fees |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Relatives of the Birmingham pub bombings victims have said they cannot understand why they are having to fight to get funding for their legal fees. | Relatives of the Birmingham pub bombings victims have said they cannot understand why they are having to fight to get funding for their legal fees. |
| The pre-inquest hearing into the deaths of 21 people in attacks at two pubs in 1974 opens on Monday. | The pre-inquest hearing into the deaths of 21 people in attacks at two pubs in 1974 opens on Monday. |
| Last week marked the 42nd anniversary of the tragedy. | Last week marked the 42nd anniversary of the tragedy. |
| Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine was one of those killed, said their Belfast-based lawyers deserve financial support. | Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine was one of those killed, said their Belfast-based lawyers deserve financial support. |
| The Home Office rejected a request from families to pay their legal fees in September. | The Home Office rejected a request from families to pay their legal fees in September. |
| 'Matrix of deceit' | 'Matrix of deceit' |
| Ms Hambleton said a government discretionary fund that was used to help legal cases around Bloody Sunday, the Omagh bombings and the Hillsborough disaster could be used to support families. | Ms Hambleton said a government discretionary fund that was used to help legal cases around Bloody Sunday, the Omagh bombings and the Hillsborough disaster could be used to support families. |
| "What people need to understand is this is a most complex and challenging case," she said. | "What people need to understand is this is a most complex and challenging case," she said. |
| "The government are still trying to stop us from ever getting to the truth - what is this matrix of deceit that the government are putting out there?" | "The government are still trying to stop us from ever getting to the truth - what is this matrix of deceit that the government are putting out there?" |
| Lawyers for the families have been working for free, while legal teams for the police and other government branches have been taxpayer-funded. | |
| West Midlands Police has already set aside £1m to cover its legal costs. | West Midlands Police has already set aside £1m to cover its legal costs. |
| The government had rejected a call from the families for a special funding model similar to that used in the Hillsborough stadium disaster inquiry. | |
| Instead, Home Secretary Amber Rudd backed the relatives making an application, under existing arrangements, through the Legal Aid Agency. | Instead, Home Secretary Amber Rudd backed the relatives making an application, under existing arrangements, through the Legal Aid Agency. |
| However, under rules governing the UK's separate legal jurisdictions, the families' Northern Ireland-based lawyers KRW Law would need to partner with an English law firm to secure legal aid. | However, under rules governing the UK's separate legal jurisdictions, the families' Northern Ireland-based lawyers KRW Law would need to partner with an English law firm to secure legal aid. |
| The government said its position had not changed it was not planning on commenting further. |