A Tory government minister has U-turned on plans to give postumous bravery awards to hero Scottish police officers killed in the line of duty. Johnny Mercer blamed the late Queen for the move which has devastated the families of PC George Taylor and Detective Sergeant Ross Hunt.
The veterans minister told MPs in January he would look at how their bravery – and that of other emergency workers – could be recognised. But in a meeting with campaigner George Barnsley, he has now made a complete U-turn.
In the discussion over Zoom last month, Mercer said: “The challenge that we have is that the honours committee who looked at this in conversation with the late Queen, were of the view this should not be retrospective. My personal view is that I would like to see it aligned with the Elizabeth Cross and I have made that clear, that was not the view of the Queen.”
