Hillsborough Law delay goes beyond anniversary
The Prime Minister had pledged the pass the Hillsborough Law before last year’s anniversary, however the legislation has been delayed.
Sir Keir Starmer has said he is committed to delivering a Hillsborough Law that ensures a “duty of candour applies to all public servants”, despite another anniversary of the disaster passing without the legislation being passed.
Speaking yesterday, 37 years after 97 Liverpool football fans were killed in a crush at Sheffield Wednesday’s group, the Prime Minister promised the Commons he would deliver the law and make sure “the state will always act for the people that it serves”.
Progress on the Bill stalled last year, after an amendment was pulled at the eleventh hour over concerns that intelligence agencies could use it to avoid being bound by the proposed duty of candour.
Sir Keir insisted all public servants would be covered by the duty of candour at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.
His comments came as one of his own backbenchers questioned whether he would commit to ruling out a “carve out” for security services, or whether victims would “be failed by the state once again”.
It is now expected that security chiefs will need to make a court application for any disclosures to be exempted.
Ian Byrne, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, who was at Hillsborough when the disaster happened, said the 97 children, women and men who died were “killed at the hands of a corrupt state”.
Addressing Sir Keir, he said: “Prime Minister, this is your responsibility; it is within your power to take control of this process and make good on your promise to deliver this legislation.
“So will you commit today to ruling out any carve out for security services and finally delivering a full Hillsborough law worthy of the name, or will they be failed by the state once again?”
Sir Keir responded: “I am personally committed to working with the families to get this Bill right. It is integral that their views are heard.
“We’re discussing this precise issue with the families. I reaffirm my commitment to delivering the legislation to ensuring the duty of candour applies to all public servants.”
Labour pledged to introduce a Hillsborough Law in its 2024 manifesto, but the legislation – formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill – has stalled since it was introduced in September.
Once introduced, it would require public officials to tell the truth during inquiries and investigations.
It comes as Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot said he was “surprised” the law had not been introduced, ahead of the anniversary.
“I have also been told about the campaign for a Hillsborough Law and having listened to the reasons and knowing the story behind them, it surprises me that this is still to be introduced,” he wrote in his programme notes.
“This is not an opinion based on my association with Liverpool FC either. It is the view of someone who believes bereaved families should not have to fight and campaign for the truth about how their loved ones lost their lives, it should be provided as a matter of course.”
Last year, the Government faced a row after proposing amendments that would see spies brought within the scope of the law, but only with the approval of the head of their services.
Campaigners warned that this could be used as a way of escaping the new “duty of candour” and the amendments were pulled.
Downing Street said the legislation would return to Parliament “soon” but refused to commit to bringing it back before the King’s Speech in May.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Significant progress has been made over recent weeks, working both with the families and the intelligence agencies and we expect to bring the Bill back to Parliament soon.”