The Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram, has admitted that Lance Corporal James Fisher, one of two Scots Guards convicted of the murder of Peter Mc Bride, was promoted while an Army Board was still considering the fate of the guardsmen. The admission came in a letter to the Pat Finucane Centre received on the day of the Brent East By-election. A PFC spokesperson has described the news as "clear evidence that the MoD subverted a court ruling and improperly influenced the Army Board."
"A Belfast court ordered the Ministry of Defence and then Armed Forces Minister John Spellar to reconsider the original decision to retain the two guardsmen. As a result a second Army Board was appointed chaired by Armed Forces Minister John Spellar. In October 2000, while the Board deliberated on the case, Fisher was promoted. A month later, in November 2000 it was announced that the second Army Board had again decided that Wright and Fisher could remain in the British Army. The final meeting of the Board was held on November 8, several weeks after the promotion. This promotion was clearly an attempt to subvert a court ruling that had overturned the original Army Board decision in favour of the guardsmen. It is also clear that the MoD, while John Spellar was Armed Forces Minister, withheld the fact of this promotion and more importantly the timing, from the legal team representing Jean Mc Bride and sought to exert improper influence on the Army Board. "
Jean Mc Bride commented, "John Spellar was the Armed Forces Minister when an employee convicted of murder was promoted and while a court ordered tribunal which he sat on was reconsidering the decision to even employ that person. Where are the demands for an inquiry and resignations? Instead Spellar is appointed Minister for Human Rights. This totally vindicates the position taken by the Mayor of Belfast Martin Morgan who is boycotting Spellar's office."