Keir Starmer hails Hillsborough households’ struggle as MPs poised to again regulation change
EXCLUSIVE: In one of his final acts in office, Keir Starmer will seek to deliver on his promise to those who lost loved ones in the 1989 football disaster to bring in a Hillsborough Law
A sea of flowers on the Anfield pitch, in memory of the Liverpool fans who died at Hillsborough (Image: Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
Keir Starmer has said he was left humbled by the courage of the Hillsborough families as a law to bring justice for the 97 is finally expected to pass its Commons hurdles.
In one of his final acts as Prime Minister, Mr Starmer will seek to deliver on his promise to those who lost loved ones in the 1989 football disaster to bring in a Hillsborough Law to prevent state cover-ups.
The long-delayed Public Office (Accountability) Bill is expected to be passed by MPs on Tuesday, paving the way for it to become law in the autumn.
It follows a decades-long fight for justice by the families of the 97 Liverpool supporters killed in a fatal crush at the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
Police falsely blamed fans and covered up evidence of their own failings at Britain’s worst ever sporting disaster at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield. Fresh inquests in 2016 found the fans who died had been unlawfully killed.
Writing in the Mirror, Mr Starmer said: “That’s the first thing that humbles you when meeting the Hillsborough families – how much they have endured. It’s not just the unimaginable loss of losing their loves ones at football game – a place of joy and human spirit.
“It is also the burden of having to grieve whilst the full power of the British state is deployed to cover up the truth.”
He added: “That it is the thing that really floors you about the Hillsborough families. It’s not about them. It’s about millions of working people they will never meet. Making sure that nobody else like them, ever has to suffer as they did.”
The Prime Minister repeatedly promised bereaved families and survivors of the tragedy to deliver the landmark bill which would force public officials to tell the truth to inquiries and investigations or risk criminal sanctions. But the legislation was pulled earlier this year after an explosive row over a potential get-out clause for the security services.
Intelligence chiefs demanded an opt-out if evidence would compromise national security. But campaigners rejected this, and pointed to accusations that MI5 had misled a public inquiry into the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
A breakthrough has now been secured so serving or formers spooks can be given ‘compliance directions’ to send information to the head of the body they work for.
The chief will be responsible for passing this on to the inquiry or investigation – subject to existing legal arrangements for protecting sensitive information.
