KEIGHLEY'S MP has praised the soldiers and police officers who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

Kris Hopkins was speaking in the House of Commons during a debate on the historical actions of the armed forces in the province.

He said: “Without their sacrifice and willingness to put their lives at risk to protect the people of Northern Ireland from terrorists willing to kill, bomb and maim and to maintain the rule of law, the peace process would not have succeeded.

“The vast majority of the more than 250,000 men and women who served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the armed forces in Northern Ireland during the Troubles carried out their duties with exemplary professionalism."

The Northern Ireland Office Minister stressed the rule of law should apply to everyone, independent of political interference.

“Nevertheless, I acknowledge the concern amongst many veterans about how past events are being investigated in Northern Ireland,” he said.

“The justice system there is a devolved matter, and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly.

"But the Government is concerned the current systems for investigating the past do not reflect the fact that 90 per cent of deaths in the Troubles were caused by terrorists and overall disproportionately focus on the actions of soldiers and the police.”

He condemned the “cowardly” attempted car bomb attack on a serving police officer in Londonderry on Wednesday. (Feb 22)

“This group – this cult – of people who are not worthy of living in such a wonderful place as Northern Ireland are trying to drag it back to that place, that past, that we do not want to return to,” he said.