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MoD accused of cover-up on nuclear test veterans' records
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In Short: Ex-minister Tobias Ellwood claims the Ministry of Defence withheld crucial information about Cold War veterans who oversaw nuclear tests.
Former veterans minister Tobias Ellwood has accused the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of deliberately withholding the medical records of Cold War veterans who oversaw nuclear tests, calling it an 'absolute cover-up'.
Ellwood told BBC Newsnight that he now believes some information he provided to Parliament about the UK's nuclear programme, based on MoD briefings, was 'a complete lie'.
An MoD spokesperson responded by stating that the government had conducted an 'extensive records discovery exercise' to address questions about the programme, with its findings published in full.
Ellwood alleged that ministers had been briefed to say they had no evidence to help nuclear test veterans, despite thousands of documents about the programme being held, and claimed there was an effort to delay the release of this information until surviving veterans had passed away.
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- Watch: 'Absolute cover-up' on nuclear test veterans' medical records, Ellwood says Former veterans minister Tobias Ellwood has accused the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of deliberately withholding the medical records of…
- Ellwood told BBC Newsnight he now believes some information he gave to Parliament about the UK's nuclear programme, based on MoD briefings, was "a complete lie".
- An MoD spokesperson said the government had conducted an "extensive records discovery exercise" to address questions about the programme, with its findings published in full.
- Ellwood, who served as a junior defence minister between June 2017 and July 2019, said he believed ministers over the years had been briefed to say they had no evidence to help nuclear test veterans, despite…
- He said the information was "deliberately withheld" by the MoD and claimed there was an effort to delay its until surviving veterans had passed away.
- "We owe an enduring debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 Service personnel, scientists and civilians who contributed to the UK's nuclear testing programme and helped safeguard our national security," the…
Sources
- BBClink