A Liverpool MP has said that he will work to ensure that LGBT+ veterans get 'the justice they deserve'.
Dan Carden, the Labour representative for Walton, is now working alongside Fighting With Pride, a charity which prides itself on supporting the recovery of the military covenant for veterans, as their ambassador.
It comes after the government launched a review into the impact of the pre-2000 ban on homosexual personnel in the military.
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The independent review aims to "provide the opportunity for the government to better understand the lived experience of LGBT veterans who served prior to 2000, including how being discharged from the military because of their sexuality affects their life."
They say the information and experiences gathered will be used to better tailor the government's support to the community.
Mr Carden said he has worked closely with the campaigners at Fighting With Pride (FWP) over the last year "to make sure that the voice of our veterans are heard in Parliament and justice is delivered."
He told the ECHO : "Until 2000, members of our Armed Forces who were thought to be LGBT+ were arrested, they often faced dehumanising and degrading medical examinations and were questioned by officers trained for wartime interrogation.
"They were humiliated and often imprisoned and once they were released from prison, they were ‘dismissed in disgrace’ with criminal records as sex offenders, without pensions and without any access to support.
"It is a mark of shame that the British State abused members of our armed forces so terribly. Their treatment was inhumane and brutal, resulting in lasting trauma. "
Mr Carden said since the ban was lifted in January 2000, there has been little support put in place for those who previously served. He added that the review is a vital first step in uncovering the true extent of the hurt and distressed that was caused.
He added: "However, we do not need a review to know that these veterans deserve a full apology from the Prime Minister on behalf of the nation, and I repeat my calls for that to happen as soon as possible.
"There is still a long way to go before justice is delivered. As an Ambassador for Fighting With Pride, I will continue to press Government to ensure that these veterans receive what they are rightly owed.
"Until these measures are met, this will remain a matter of national disgrace, and it will stand in the way of the Government’s stated wish to be a global exemplar for both LGBT+ and veterans’ communities."
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