Starmer vows to herald Hillsborough Law to cease cover-ups and shield victims

Keir Starmer will promise to introduce a new law to prevent cover-ups by the state before the next anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

Speaking at Labour’s conference in Liverpool, the PM will confirm that the new legislation will be brought to Parliament by April. Known as Hillsborough Law, it will give victims of injustice greater power to take on the state, creating a legal duty of candour for public servants such as police officers.

It comes after years of campaigning by the families of the 97 people who died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield. The families spent decades fighting for justice for their loved ones after police falsely blamed Liverpool fans for the disaster.

The new law aims to help victims in David and Goliath-style battles for justice such as the Post Office scandal, the Infected Blood disaster and the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Public servants and authorities will be bound by a legal duty of candour, with sanctions for anyone who is found to have lied, mislead, or withheld information.

There will be criminal sanctions for the worst breaches. It is already an offence to lie to a court or a public inquiry but the new legislation would enshrine the duty of candour in law.

Public bodies will also be subject to a code of ethics to address the wider culture of defensiveness seen in the wake of public disasters like Hillsborough and Grenfell, and public scandals including Infected Blood, the Post Office and Windrush.

An independent public advocate will be recruited by the summer to give victims a voice and to prevent them being ignored by those in power. The law would also give families access to legal aid during inquests and inquiries to help foot the bill for costly legal battles.

Mr Starmer spoke to the Hillsborough Family Support Group last night to reassure them he would deliver on his promise. In a speech to Labour conference on Tuesday, he will say: “For many people in this city, the speech they may remember was the one here, two years ago.

“Because that was when I promised, on this stage, that if I ever had the privilege to serve our country as Prime Minister, one of my first acts would be to bring in a Hillsborough law – a duty of candour.

“A law for Liverpool. A law for the 97. A law that people should never have needed to fight so hard to get. But that will be delivered by this Labour Government.”

The PM will add: “Today I can confirm that the duty of candour will apply to public authorities and public servants, that bill will include criminal sanctions, and that the Hillsborough law will be introduced to Parliament before the next anniversary in April.”

Labour promised in its manifesto to take forward recommendations made by Bishop James Jones in his damning 2017 report, which highlighted the “burning injustice” suffered by Hillsborough families. Previous Tory Governments dragged their heels on implementing these changes – and Rishi Sunak stopped sort of introducing a Hillsborough Law last December.

The announcement will come in Mr Starmer’s first conference speech as PM, where he will seek to fire up his party and offer hope to the nation after unease over cuts to the winter fuel allowance and warnings of a painful Budget next month.

The PM will say tough decisions are needed to fix the mess left behind by the Tories. But he will say there is “light at the end of this tunnel” once the nation gets through a “shared struggle” with tough short-term pressures.

Mr Starmer will say: “I know this country is exhausted by and with politics. I know that the cost-of-living crisis drew a veil over the joy and wonder in our lives and that people want respite and relief, and may even have voted Labour for that reason.

“Our project has not and never will change. I changed the Labour Party to restore it to the service of working people. And that is exactly what we will do for Britain. But I will not do it with easy answers. I will not do it with false hope.”

He will say the end goal is “a Britain built to last, built with respect and built with pride”.