Campaigners representing the bereaved families of the Manchester Arena bombing have declared they cannot support the current draft of the proposed Hillsborough Law, following what they called a "disappointing" meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
A Meeting of 'Deep Disappointment'
The families, part of the Manchester Arena Support Network, met with Sir Keir for an hour on Wednesday, 15 January 2026. They sought assurances that the new Public Office (Accountability) Bill would apply a strict duty of candour to all public bodies, including the intelligence services.
However, they left feeling let down. Ruth Leney, chair of the support network, stated that while the Prime Minister had listened, the outcome was not what they expected. "It's got to be all or nothing," she said, emphasising that the security services must not be exempt. "We can’t trust the Bill if not everybody is accountable to it."
The Core Conflict: National Security vs. Transparency
The dispute centres on government amendments tabled on Wednesday. While these formally bring agencies like MI5, MI6, and GCHQ within the law's scope, they grant the heads of these services the power to decide whether information must be disclosed, citing national security.
Campaigners argue this creates a dangerous loophole. Elkan Abrahamson, a lawyer for the Hillsborough Law Now campaign, said the amendments allow service heads to make "whatever decision they want" and are effectively "unchallengeable." He insisted it should be for an inquiry chair to decide on relevance, noting existing provisions for private hearings already protect sensitive material.
The families' fears are rooted in the Manchester Arena inquiry's findings, which concluded that MI5 did not provide an "accurate picture" of key intelligence it held on suicide bomber Salman Abedi before the 2017 attack that killed 22 people and injured hundreds.
Families Feel 'Devastated' and 'Misled'
For the relatives, the proposed amendments feel like a betrayal of promises. Caroline Curry, whose 19-year-old son Liam was murdered, said she was "devastated" and felt misled. "We can't bring our children back, they're gone. But what we can do is try to stand up for other people and try to protect their children," she told reporters.
Lisa Rutherford, mother of 17-year-old victim Chloe Rutherford, echoed the sentiment: "It's not what they agreed and what they promised. They have said that they will go away and have another look but we are not hopeful. All we want is honesty."
In response, Sir Keir Starmer maintained his commitment to the duty of candour. "I have always been clear the duty of candour applies to the intelligence services," he told MPs, insisting the amendments did not water down the bill. "It is right that there are essential safeguards in place to protect national security, and we've got that balance right."
A government spokesman stated: "We have listened to their concerns... and we will continue to work with them to make the bill as strong as it can possibly be, while never compromising on national security."
The parliamentary debate on the bill was postponed until 19 January to allow for further consideration. Liverpool Labour MP Ian Byrne, a longstanding Hillsborough campaigner, plans to push an amendment to fully include the security services, warning the government's current position is "soul-destroying."
