A new year is usually a time of hope. Personally, I struggle with it as it’s an annual reminder of a great hurt in my life.

Nearly 50 years on and I still feel it acutely. For good or ill, it chartered my course in life.

So, when I learned that the British government, on New Year’s Eve, had lodged an appeal of the High Court ruling in favour of establishing a public inquiry into the murder of Sean Brown, I was incandescent with rage, not just at the timing but at the needless cruelty and insult to Bridie, the 87-year-old widow of Mr Brown.

It’s hard to evaluate the full impact or injury for the Brown family.

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Adding to the hurt, a Northern Ireland Office spokesperson........

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