[caption id="attachment_67202" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Shaun Woodward."]
The British government has been urged to live up to its promise and open an inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
The call came from the British Labour Party's shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, at the Labour Party conference last week.
Pat Finucane was murdered by loyalists gunmen at his North Belfast home in 1989. His killing was one of the most controversial of the Troubles and led to allegations of collusion between British state forces operating in Northern Ireland and loyalist paramilitaries.
Woodward, the former secretary of state, said it was important the British government honored commitments to investigate allegations that the security forces colluded with the killers.
"This time last year I asked the secretary of state to honor the commitment by a former prime minister, Tony Blair, that there would be an inquiry into the death of Pat Finucane," Woodward said.
"He promised the decision would be soon. Twelve months later, no decision. Why are the Finucane family still waiting?"
Woodward added: "If it is his (secretary of state Owen Paterson's) intention to renege on another commitment, I urge him to think again."
In 2004 then secretary of state Paul Murphy announced his intention to hold an inquiry under the Inquiries Act.
The Finucane family are opposed to the probe being held under that particular legislation.
Pat Finucane rose to prominence in the 1980s due to successfully challenging the British government over several important human rights cases.
He was shot 14 times as he sat eating a meal at his Belfast home with his three children and wife, who was wounded in the attack. In September 2004 UDA informer, Ken Barrett, pleaded guilty to his murder.
