Keir Starmer vows Hillsborough legislation will come forward of anniversary
The Prime Minister has promised to introduce a new Hillsborough law before the next anniversary of the tragedy in April.
The long-awaited Bill will put in place a legal duty of candour to all public bodies, meaning there is the potential for criminal sanctions for anyone who misleads or obstructs investigations.
The Labour leader – who promised conference delegates in 2022 that bringing the Bill to Parliament would be one of his first acts in Downing Street – said the law was one that ‘people should never have needed to fight so hard to get’.
The announcement at Labour’s conference in Liverpool was welcomed by campaigners and family members of the 97 Liverpool fans who were crushed to death at Hillsborough stadium in 1989.
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who has long called for legislation on the issue, told Radio 4’s Today Programme yesterday: ‘It was promised by him two years ago – and he’s coming straight back to deliver on that.’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer today promised to introduce a new Hillsborough law before the next anniversary of the tragedy in April
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham , who has long called for legislation on the issue, told Radio 4’s Today Programme: ‘It was promised by him two years ago – and he’s coming straight back to deliver on that’
Men, women and children were crushed during an FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield in 1989. Tributes are seen at Anfield on the 20th anniversary
The Bill will put in place a legal duty of candour to all public bodies, meaning there is the potential for criminal sanctions for anyone who misleads or obstructs investigations. Tributes to the victims are seen in the aftermath of the 1989 tragedy
Men, women and children were crushed during an FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the stadium in Sheffield in 1989.
South Yorkshire Police built a narrative of lies to evade responsibility for its failures and instead blamed Liverpool fans for the disaster.
A jury finally concluded in 2016 that the victims were unlawfully killed and said a catalogue of errors by police and ambulance services contributed to their deaths.
Match commander on the day, David Duckenfield, was charged with gross negligence manslaughter in 2017 but acquitted in 2019 at a retrial, after the jury in his first trial was unable to reach a verdict.
In 2021, retired officers Donald Denton and Alan Foster and former force solicitor Peter Metcalf were accused of amending statements to minimise the blame on South Yorkshire Police, but were acquitted of perverting the course of justice after a judge ruled there was no case to answer.
The legislation promised on Tuesday was first recommended in a report by the Bishop of Liverpool seven years ago.
The Right Rev James Jones called for the then-Conservative Government to give ‘full consideration’ to a law introducing a legal duty of candour on public officials to tell the truth and co-operate with official inquiries.
But finally responding at the end of last year, the Government stopped short of legislation, saying it had signed up to a Hillsborough Charter, pledging to place the public interest above its own reputation.
That announcement angered bereaved families, and the Hillsborough Survivors Association who said: ‘We demand something really simple, that laws are put in place to ensure any repetition of the police lies over Hillsborough would result in criminal charges.’
