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I inadvertently misled parliament over a British nuclear scandal. Now I’m calling for justice | Tobias Ellwood

Originally published by The Guardian

Published September 2, 2026 Source: The Guardian 1 min read

I inadvertently misled parliament over a British nuclear scandal. Now I’m calling for justice | Tobias Ellwood — Image supplied by the original publication: The Guardian

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Thousands of service personnel took part in dangerous cold war-era nuclear tests. The government owes them the truth – and compensation In December 2018, as defence minister, I inadvertently misled parliament. Asked whether blood samples had been taken from service personnel for radiological monitoring during the nuclear bomb tests, I relayed the line...

Key points

Thousands of service personnel took part in dangerous cold war-era nuclear tests.
The government owes them the truth – and compensation In December 2018, as defence minister, I inadvertently misled parliament.
Asked whether blood samples had been taken from service personnel for radiological monitoring during the nuclear bomb tests, I relayed the line provided to me by the Ministry of Defence: it...

Context

This story is part of the United Kingdom coverage. The original reporting source identified by the page is The Guardian. Publication date: September 2, 2026 at 17:30.

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Thousands of service personnel took part in dangerous cold war-era nuclear tests. The government owes them the truth – and compensation

In December 2018, as defence minister, I inadvertently misled parliament. Asked whether blood samples had been taken from service personnel for radiological monitoring during the nuclear bomb tests, I relayed the line provided to me by the Ministry of Defence: it was “unable to locate any information” suggesting blood samples had been taken for radiological monitoring at the tests.

I now know the reality was very different – these samples were taken across the armed services branches. But those veterans seeking compensation for serious illnesses developed after radiation exposure have been unable to access them. This is among the greatest scandals in Britain, and it must be addressed.

Tobias Ellwood is a former defence minister and the author of Ten Steps to Prevent World War Three

Source: The Guardian

This story was originally published by The Guardian. Visit the original publication for further details.

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Key points

Thousands of service personnel took part in dangerous cold war-era nuclear tests.
The government owes them the truth – and compensation In December 2018, as defence minister, I inadvertently misled parliament.
Asked whether blood samples had been taken from service personnel for radiological monitoring during the nuclear bomb tests, I relayed the line provided...