Activists are demanding that the government of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer fulfill its promises to compensate veterans of nuclear testing in the 1950s and 60s.
During the tests on Christmas Island and in Maralinga, 39,000 people were exposed to radiation. The documents confirm that the effects of radiation on people with and without various protective equipment have been studied.
In 2022, current Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Secretary of Defense John Haley argued that it was necessary to begin work on recognizing the merits of veterans. Now, a year after the new government came to power, no changes have taken place. Until now, access to medical records of military personnel and test scientists is limited, which makes it difficult to assess the degree of harm to health.
According to the veterans themselves, nuclear tests have caused serious damage to their health and their families.