THERESA May is facing a furious backlash from her own MPs after it emerged British soldiers who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles will not be protected from prosecution under draft Government proposals.
Tory MPs have accused the Government of "losing its moral compass" amid news that proposals expected to be drawn up soon will not include an amnesty for ex-servicemen.
Thousands of people were killed or injured by paramilitaries and security forces during the 30 years of Troubles violence in Northern Ireland.
Senior MPs had been calling for a statute of limitation which would prevent former soldiers and paramilitaries from facing trial for offences that happened during the conflict.
The concept of an amnesty had gained traction over the last year among a number of Westminster backbenchers - who claimed recent prosecutions of former British soldiers were tantamount to a "witch-hunt".
Sinn Fein have continually opposed calls for an amnesty for ex-servicemen (Image: Getty)However, victims' representatives, Sinn Fein, the DUP and the Irish Government all voiced concerns over a potential amnesty.
It's understood there are considerable tensions between NI Secretary Karen Bradley and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson on the issue.
Mr Williamson's predecessor, Sir Michael Fallon, had been pushing for protections for ex-servicemen - but Ms Bradley's office has resisted.
Tory MP Johnny Mercer has urged the PM to step in and "do the right thing".
"I never thought I'd see the day when my Government would stand aside and watch pensioner veterans being dragged," he told MailOnline.
Thousands of people died in NI at the hands of paramilitaries during the Troubles (Image: Getty)"It's insane and a total loss of moral compass. I cannot support this Government in their endeavours if they make basic errors of judgement like this.
"No-one else is going to stick up for these veterans – they were there advocating Government policy.
"This Government has a duty, a duty to protect them from the pernicious industry of lawyers currently fishing for business in Northern Ireland. I will not allow them to be cut off to the mercy of those trying to re-write history for their own financial gain, and am considering all my options."
Mechanisms to deal with the Troubles' legacy were agreed by Northern Ireland politicians in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement - but an amnesty was not among them.
The agreed proposals - including a new independent investigatory unit, a truth recovery body and an oral archive - are on ice due to the continuing political stalemate between Sinn Fein and the DUP at Stormont.
