HOPES that jailed Scots Guardsmen Mark Wright and Jim Fisher may soon be freed rose last night after Prime Minister Tony Blair revealed that their case was being reviewed.
The admission took Conservative leader William Hague by surprise after he raised the case of the Guardsmen in the Commons yesterday.
Privates Fisher and Wright were found guilty of murder after shooting Roman Catholic Peter McBride while on patrol in Belfast.
Since then, there has been a sustained campaign for their freedom, backed by former Scots Guards who say that the soldiers acted in the heat of action and should not be considered as murderers.
Mr Hague had agreed to raise their case at Prime Minister's Question Time when he said that a review of their life sentences should take place as a matter of urgency because of growing public concern about their continued imprisonment.
Mr Blair replied that he understood the concern, which he said was shared across the House, and said: ''That review is being conducted.''
He slightly qualified that answer when he later said that Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam would conduct the review ''as quickly as possible''. Mr Hague later wrote to the Prime Minister seeking clarification. His letter said that he was ''intrigued'' by the response. It added: ''When I asked you whether or not you would review their prison sentences as a matter of urgency, you said 'that review is being conducted.'
''This is a welcome surprise and I would be grateful if you could confirm to me when that review started and when it is likely to report.''
Guardsman Wright's mother, Isobel, from Arbroath, said she was pleased with the Conservative leader's backing, and added that she hoped other MPs would support the campaign for their early release.
Ayrshire Labour MP George Foulkes, who has also backed the campaign, welcomed the Prime Minister's commitment to have the case re-examined.
He said he had already raised the case with Ms Mowlam. ''I said that since there was no intent to murder Peter McBride, the two Guardsmen being model prisoners who would not reoffend, and now with the peace process allowing the release of convicted terrorists, it was time to review the sentences.
''Mo Mowlam gave me an assurance that she would consider my plea and respond as soon as possible.''
Dublin upset by choice of members for body that will look at RUC
The Government's announcement of the members of the independent commission which will study the future of policing in Northern Ireland last night upset the Irish Government.
Just one name put forward by Dublin was included.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said: ''I would have liked at least one other - but that was the call of the British Government.''
The commission is to be chaired by former Hong Kong governor, and one-time Tory Northern Ireland Minister, Chris Patten. Joining him are:
q Sir John Smith, former deputy commissioner in the Metropolitan Police.
q Ms Kathleen O'Toole, a former Boston policewoman who is now Secretary for Public Safety in Massachusetts.
q Mr Peter Smith QC, a leading Northern Ireland lawyer.
q Dr Maurice Hayes, a former Northern Ireland civil servant and Ombudsman and currently a member of the Irish Senate.
q Professor Clifford Shearing, director of the Centre of Criminology at the University of Toronto.
q Dr Gerald Lynch, president of John Jay College, New York.
q Ms Lucy Woods, chief executive of British Telecom in Northern Ireland.
The body is to start work immediately and report in the summer of 1999.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales yesterday attended a garden party in Northern Ireland hosted by Ulster Secretary Mo Mowlam and attended by politicians and victims of violence.
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