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MP's daughter hopes bomber can admit his murder was wrong

BBC/Keo Films Jo Berry, a woman with long brown hair and a blue top with pink flowers on it BBC/Keo Films
Jo Berry's father Sir Anthony was murdered in the Brighton bomb

The daughter of an MP murdered in the IRA’s Brighton bomb has said she has met the man responsible hundreds of times in the hope he will accept “nothing is worth killing for”.

Jo Berry’s connection with Patrick Magee goes back more than 20 years.

They have spoken about the bombing in a new BBC documentary about the October 1984 attack, which targeted then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

While Thatcher escaped injury, five people were killed and 34 were injured.

The blast occurred during the night at the Grand Hotel, the venue for that year’s Conservative Party conference, and where those attending were staying.

Mr Magee was later jailed for 35 years, but released in 1999 as part of the Good Friday Agreement, after serving 14 years.

One of those murdered was Sir Anthony Berry, the MP for Enfield Southgate.

His daughter told the programme she and Mr Magee had met between 300 and 400 times.

When asked if there was a conclusion she wanted to reach, she replied: “Is there a place to get to?

“If there is such a place, it would be him saying ‘nothing is worth killing someone for’.

“He says that he will never forgive himself.

“He isn’t saying what he did was wrong because he is holding on that they [the IRA] had no choice.”

Getty Images A black and white photo of the couple on their wedding day. Sir Anthony is wearing a three-piece suit with a white carnation in the button hole. Sarah is wearing a white dress and hat.Getty Images
Sir Anthony Berry, pictured on his wedding day to his wife Sarah, was a Conservative MP

Mr Magee told the programme “violence happens” and “the work with Jo has been my response".

Ms Berry’s brother, Edward, said: “I have nothing to offer on the subject of this gentleman.

“If my sister is on this particular journey, if it does good, then that is fine with me.”

Thatcher was a prime target for the IRA as it saw her responsible for the deaths of 10 republicans in the 1981 hunger strike at the Maze Prison.

At the time, bomb attacks in England also had huge propaganda value.

BBC/Keo Films Patrick Magee, a man with a grey shirt, grey jacket, glasses and short grey hair and a short grey beard. BBC/Keo Films
Patrick Magee planted the bomb three weeks before it went off

Sinn Féin’s former publicity director Danny Morrison told the documentary: “Now that I am old, I find the tragedy of death to be terrible.

“But at the time, to be honest, I probably regret that the IRA didn’t kill her.”

Other contributors include John Gummer, the former Conservative Party chairman, who was with Thatcher when the bomb went off.

He recalled initially thinking there had been two explosions.

“There was a second bang which we thought was another bomb," he said.

“Actually it was the roof which had been lifted off and it came down again and made a second bang.

“And then there was silence.”

Bombing Brighton: The Plot to Kill Thatcher is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and will be shown on BBC Two at 21:00 BST on Tuesday.