Hillsborough Law - Update
Keir Starmer previously pledged that introducing the Hillsborough Law would be one of his first acts in office, with a target of doing so by the 36th anniversary earlier this year.
I was extremely disappointed and angry to see the anniversary pass with no Hillsborough Law on the statute book – and unfortunately, we are still waiting. The Government’s watered-down and carved up version doesn’t deserve the name Hillsborough Law. Let me be clear - we will not accept watered-down legislation. We will not let this critical piece of legislation be quietly sidelined or stripped of its power.
We must also remember that this is about more than Hillsborough – it’s about safeguarding truth, justice, and accountability for every family facing institutional failure.
My Hillsborough Law PMQ:
On Wednesday 2nd July, I asked the Prime Minister the following question at PMQs:
The Prime Minister visited my constituency in 2022 and told families that “one of my first acts will be to put the Hillsborough law on the statute book.” He repeated the same promise at conference last year, saying that the Bill would be published on the anniversary in April. That did not happen. However, the Government are now planning to table a watered-down version that does not deserve to be named a “Hillsborough law”. After PMQs, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool West Derby (Ian Byrne) will seek to introduce the real Hillsborough law. Can the Prime Minister finally honour his promise and back the law in full? If not, why not?
The Prime Minister responded:
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this and remember well the visit we had. This is a really serious issue, and it is important that we get it right. I am fully committed to introducing a Hillsborough law, including a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply. It is important that we get it right. I have been personally engaging with some of the families on this, because, as I say, I have seen at firsthand what they have been through for over 10 years. I first met them when I was Director of Public Prosecutions and there was consideration of the order in which certain things would happen. That was actually about a different issue – it was about an issue of great concern to them – but my hon. Friend is right to raise this. We will bring this forward. I just want to take the time to get it right and then put it before the House.
You can watch the full clip on my Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17BHHPAVWt/
Reintroduction of the Hillsborough Law:
In July, Ian Byrne MP reintroduced the real Hillsborough Law to Parliament. Officially titled the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill, it includes a statutory duty of candour on public authorities and officials – backed by criminal sanctions – and guarantees bereaved families equal access to legal representation.
The Bill was reintroduced in response to the government’s plans to bring forward a diluted version that strips away the core principles and protections of the original Hillsborough Law. Shockingly, Ian’s Bill was blocked in Parliament.
The real Hillsborough Law has strong cross-party support, as reflected in Ian’s Early Day Motion, which you can read in full here:
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/64038/government-policy-on-the-hillsborough-law
I will keep you updated on the campaign to secure the full implementation of the real Hillsborough Law – with no compromises and no half-measures.