LORD ETHERTONS REPORT
Lord Etherton (1951–2025) was a distinguished British judge who became the UK’s first openly gay senior judge and later served as Master of the Rolls. In 2022, he was appointed to lead an independent review into the mistreatment of LGBT personnel in the armed forces, who between 1967 and 2000 had faced dismissal, loss of benefits, and lasting trauma under a ban on homosexuality.
His landmark report in 2023 exposed these injustices and recommended apologies, compensation, and memorialisation. The government responded with a formal apology, a £75 million compensation scheme, and steps to restore veterans’ dignity.
For this work, Lord Etherton was honoured with a GBE in 2024, and his legacy is closely tied to securing long-overdue recognition and justice for LGBT veterans.
Sadly Lord Etherton passed away on 6 May 2025 at the age of 73, following a prolonged illness associated with a hereditary blood disorder
Lord Etherton will be remembered by veterans as a man of integrity who listened to our stories and restored dignity to those cast aside under the ban on LGBT service. His compassion and courage gave us back our pride and a long-overdue sense of justice.
Trigger Warning: The Final Report and Analysis Report contain distressing accounts of veterans’ experiences under the Ban and its aftermath, which may be triggering for those affected.