Ex-servicemen who had been exposed to radiation in British nuclear weapons tests have lost their Supreme Court bid to launch negligence claims against the Ministry of Defence. BBC News reports that:
The veterans wanted compensation after claiming the tests in the South Pacific in the 1950s damaged their health.
Lord Wilson, one of the judges who rejected their appeal, said the actions had "no real prospect of success".
Although the judgment blocks most of the claims, a certain number can still proceed after an earlier legal ruling.
A group of 1,011 ex-servicemen has battled for two years through the High Court and Court of Appeal for permission to launch damages claims against the Ministry of Defence.
Their challenge, involving nine "lead claims", was heard by seven Supreme Court justices who rejected the case by a majority of four to three.
After reading out a summary of the court's decision, Lord Wilson said: "Putting aside the law for one moment, all seven members of the court would wish to record their personal sympathy for the veterans." ...