Keir Starmer confronted by Hillsborough survivor MP after Arne Slot hits out
Keir Starmer was confronted by Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne over the long-awaited Hillsborough Law after club boss Arne Slot said he was surprised it is not in place already
Keir Starmer has been confronted over the long-awaited Hillsborough Law on the anniversary of the tragedy which claimed 97 lives.
Progress on the long-awaited legislation, designed to prevent state cover-ups, has stalled due to a row about whether spies should be included. Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who was among the fans at Hillsborough Stadium in 1989 when the fatal crush unfolded during an FA Cup semi-final, called on the PM to deliver legislation “worthy of the name”.
It comes after current Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he is surprised the law is not on the statute books already. In an emotional exchange at PMQs, Mr Byrne said: “As the Prime Minister said, 37 days today, 97 innocent children, women and men went to a football match and were unlawfully killed at the hands of a corrupt state.
“I was at Hillsborough, and I was one of the lucky ones who survived and walked away. As parliamentary leader to the Hillsborough Law, I stand here with a huge sense of obligation to the 97.
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“All the families, including my constituent Debbie Matthews (whose brother Brian died), every survivor and every victim of a state cover up…” He welcomed reports of a breakthrough, but went on: “We’ve heard this before.”
He continued: “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 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?”
Progress has stalled since the Bill – formally named the Public Office (Accountability) Bill – was introduced, due to a disagreement over how a new legal duty of candour should apply to spies.
Security service chiefs argue such a requirement would risk compromising national security. The PM told MPs: “Today marks 37 years since the Hillsborough disaster, when 97 men, women and children went to a football match and never returned.
“My promise remains, working with families, we will deliver a Hillsborough Law to end the injustice that they have suffered and ensure the state will always act for the people that it serves.”
In the programme notes of last night’s Champions League fixture with Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool boss Slot wrote: “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.”
The Government had previously promised to introduce the Bill by last year’s anniversary, a target that was missed. But hopes rose of a breakthrough following reports at the weekend said the PM is expected to scrap plans to give security services a blanket exception from the law.
Jenni Hicks – who lost her daughters Victoria, 15, and Sarah, 19 – told the BBC: “The sad thing is, we’re still arguing about the Hillsborough Law, and it’s still not being implemented because of the problems we’re told with the security services.”
The Bill was first promised by Sir Keir Starmer when he was leader of the opposition in 2022. It is supported by a coalition of survivors and families impacted by other tragedies including the Manchester Arena bombing, Covid, the Grenfell fire, nuclear test veterans, the Horizon Post Office and infected blood scandals, and the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “As the Prime Minister said, we’re taking the time to get this right, working with families and campaigners to create a bill that’s testament to their decades of campaigning, whilst never compromising on national security. And as I’ve said earlier this week, 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.”
Asked if the PM regretted getting the families hopes up, the PM’s political spokesman said: “I mean, you heard the Prime Minister talk in the house today about the importance of this bill and how he’s worked closely with the families.”
