Sir Keir Starmer has been warned his Labour Government will face a “rude awakening” if it pushes ahead with plans to axe protections for Troubles veterans.

Labour has repeatedly pledged to amend the Legacy Act, a piece of legislation introduced by the Tories to bring to an end vexatious prosecutions against veterans.

However, there are now fears that the potential changes could bring hundreds of criminal and civil claims against former British soldiers.

A petition, launched by ex-Brigadier Ian Liles OBE, is demanding the Prime Minister rules out making any changes that would allow prosecutions to be brought against those “combating terrorism” between 1969 and 2007.

The Protect Northern Ireland Veterans from Prosecutions petition, which was only launched on May 9, has already surpassed the 10,000 signature threshold to mandate a response from the Government.

It is now closing in on the number 100,000 signatures needed to force a parliamentary debate, with calls for protections to remain in place growing by the hour.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks to British and Albanian troops about their involvement with training Ukrainian troops under Operation Interflex

Speaking to GB News shortly after the petition surpassed 50,000 signatures, Liles said: “The speed of the climb does not surprise me as there is a good deal of anger amongst both veterans and members of the public by what they see as a betrayal by Starmer of our veterans.

“Terrorists get comfort letters and release from jail for murdering and maiming innocent men, women and children and even babes in arms, while soldiers get hounded for doing their duty on operations they were ordered on by the Government.”

Liles, who also raised concerns about the changes enabling ex-Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to claim against the taxpayer for wrongful arrest, added: “The Government needs a rude awakening for enabling this shocking persecution.

“Their job must be to protect serving soldiers and veterans from persecution, not encourage it, which they appear to be doing. What message does it send to the fine young men and women serving today? Make a split-second decision on operations and then be persecuted by the Government and apparently the Ministry of Defence years later to appease our enemies.”

Around 300,000 British soldiers were deployed to Northern Ireland throughout the Troubles, with 1,441 servicemen and women being killed during Operation Banner.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement later ensured that thousands of republican and loyalist terrorists were released from prison.

Protesters at a military veterans' rally at Horse Guards Parade in London, organised by Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans

Hundreds also received so-called “comfort letters” informing them that they were no longer facing prosecution from the authorities.

However, a push for an inquest to be held into how eight IRA members were killed by the SAS in Loughgall in 1987 has raised concerns about two-tier justice after it was claimed that Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn had given his “unequivocal commitment” to a probe.

Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois, who is joining Liles in his push to protect Northern Ireland veterans, raised similar concerns as the petition continues to gain momentum.

Francois, who served in the Territorial Army from 1983 to 1989, told the People’s Channel: “This is two-tier justice. It’s one justice for our Northern Ireland veterans and it’s a completely different form of justice for Gerry Adams and his cronies.

“How any self-respecting Labour MP could possibly vote for this - when it comes before the Commons in a few months’ time - and then still look their constituents in the eye defies belief.”

Philip Barden, who represented Northern Ireland veteran Dennis Hutchings while he faced trial over a Troubles killing before his death in 2021, also warned about the impact of repealing the Legacy Act.

The petition is closing in on the number of signatures needed for a parliamentary debate

He said: “Dennis campaigned to stop veterans being hounded and the Troubles Act did just that. Now it is being repealed, old veterans will be hounded again.

“The court process of inquests, civil claims and criminal prosecutions has become an industry and is said to be done by politicians to get to the truth. That is nonsense. The terrorists don’t come forward, despite their proteges being in Government. Ninety per cent of the killings were by terrorists.

“The veterans accused of shooting may not even remember the event with any reliability after 50 years and having been told they would not be prosecuted many years ago. Witnesses have died. Evidence has been lost. The system permits anyone accused to say nothing and that is the sensible advice.

“This is political. The past is the past. There are thousands of victims of terrorist killings, bombings, extortion, kidnapping, and kneecapping who will never get justice. So some military veterans are hounded to seek to rewrite the past. This isn’t social justice or justice.

“The only person who may benefit beyond the lawyers is Gerry Adams, who will get compensation for being held in internment 50 years ago.

“This Government has enough to deal with without looking for problems that have been dealt with.”

A British soldier provides cover for his fellow soldiers while they check out a burning building

However, Liles’s petition hit the headlines earlier this week after two army regiments appeared to break military rules by sharing Liles’s plea on social media.

Sharing the petition with a rifle green graphic, the Rifles regiment said the Government’s amendment of the Northern Ireland Troubles Act “will mean that veterans can be re-investigated despite having previously been cleared of any wrongdoing”.

The post continued: “So that a Parliamentary debate can be held to correct this, we encourage you to click on the link below and sign your name.”

The Fusiliers Regimental Headquarters social media profile went even further, lamenting Labour’s "Two-Tier Justice of pursuing Army Veterans.”

Attaching a link to the petition, the Fusiliers post added: “They need 100K signatures to get the subject debated - CAN YOU HELP? Please sign and share!”

Hilary Benn MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, delivers a speech to party delegates on day two of the Labour Party conferenceGETTY

The Ministry of Defence is now investigating the posts after claiming they had been published “in error and without correct authorisation”.

Responding to the petition and concerns about Adams claiming for wrongful arrest, Benn said: “The previous Government's Legacy Act has been found to be unlawful in a number of respects by our domestic courts.

“It was also widely rejected by families who lost loved ones to paramilitary violence, including the families of Armed Forces personnel killed by the IRA.

“This is because the Act's immunity provisions would have granted immunity from prosecution to paramilitary terrorists.

“Any incoming government would have had to deal with this fundamental problem, and this Government is doing so in a way that is lawful, balanced and proportionate.

“On the issue relating to Interim Custody Orders the Government is considering how to lawfully address this issue in legislation.

“This Government's commitment to our Armed Forces community is unshakeable. Those veterans who served in Operation Banner did so with distinction in very difficult circumstances, and ultimately helped bring about the peace that Northern Ireland now enjoys.

“We owe them a huge debt of gratitude, and we will ensure that their interests are fully considered in the changes we are going to make.”