The Hillsborough Law is set to return to the House of Commons for its remaining stages this week, after ministers had previously suggested it would not come back before the summer recess. The law, officially titled the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, would impose a legally enforceable duty of candour on public officials and authorities to act transparently during investigations and inquiries.
Background of the Hillsborough Disaster
The bill is named after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 97 Liverpool fans were killed in a crush at Sheffield's Hillsborough stadium during an FA Cup semi-final. After the tragedy, key public servants, including police officers, were found to have misrepresented decisions leading to the fatal crush at the Leppings Lane end.
Political Support and Previous Delays
Both Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his likely successor Andy Burnham have expressed support for the legislation. However, progress had been repeatedly delayed due to concerns from the security services about how the duty of candour might affect intelligence operations. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy stated last week he was "confident" the bill would return "in the coming days," though other government figures had indicated it would not be debated until after the summer recess.
Resolution on Intelligence Services
The government now believes it has reached a compromise where individual employees and former employees of the intelligence services will be covered by the duty of candour without compromising national security. This will be detailed in amendments to the bill, scheduled for debate this week. A government source described the development as "an overwhelming victory after months of hard work to find a solution that ensures we have a duty of candour that applies to the intelligence services without compromising national security." The source added: "The Hillsborough Law will fundamentally change the balance of power so the state can never hide from the people it is supposed to serve, and so victims can always get justice."
Details of the Amendments
The latest amendments create a process whereby intelligence employees send information under the duty of candour to the head of their organisation, who then becomes responsible for forwarding it to public investigators.
Campaigner Response
The Hillsborough Law Now campaign, which has long advocated for the change, welcomed the news. In a statement, the campaign said: "The Government has now conceded that there will be no carve-outs, no exemptions for security services or anyone else, breaking the impasse that has persisted since January." It described the development as "a major step towards delivering the landmark changes that bereaved families and survivors have fought for over decades to prevent state cover-ups." The campaign added: "This is an important milestone, not just for Hillsborough families, but for every family who has experienced a cover-up and lack of accountability from public authorities. We are a big step closer to ensuring that no family has to again fight for the truth for decades." It noted that once the bill clears the Commons, "the journey continues in the House of Lords."
Andy Burnham's Remarks
Andy Burnham, the likely next prime minister, said the bill's return would be "a special moment to be in the House on Tuesday as the PM delivers on his promise to the Hillsborough families." He expressed gratitude to campaigners: "We owe the Hillsborough families and all the campaigners our profound thanks for standing firm for what is right and never giving in. Their determination in the face of decades of denial will permanently shift the balance of power in this country in favour of ordinary people and that is a huge thing." Burnham also stressed the broader implications: "The rebalancing of power must not end there. We must never forget that an entire English city correctly cried injustice for 20 years but was blanked by the powers-that-be. It tells us that not all people and places in this country have been treated as equals. We will not rest until they are and that is why we will now redistribute power to create a more equal Britain."
