Jenni Hicks, a mother who lost both her teenage daughters in the Hillsborough disaster, has issued an impassioned plea to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging him to be transparent with families and survivors as the campaign for a Hillsborough Law enters its 37th year. Victoria, aged 15, and Sarah, aged 19, were among the 97 Liverpool fans who tragically lost their lives on April 15, 1989, at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium.
The Painful Wait for Accountability
Jenni Hicks expressed profound distress that, nearly four decades later, arguments persist over the implementation of the Hillsborough Law. This proposed legislation aims to establish a statutory "duty of candour" for public authorities, compelling them to disclose the truth and cooperate fully with inquiries into disasters. "The sad thing is, we're still arguing about the Hillsborough Law, and it's still not being implemented because of the problems we're told with the security services," Jenni lamented in a recent interview.
A Coalition of Support Across Tragedies
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, initially promised by Sir Keir Starmer in 2022 during his tenure as opposition leader, has garnered support from a broad coalition. This includes survivors and families affected by numerous other tragedies, such as the Manchester Arena bombing, the Covid-19 pandemic, the Grenfell Tower fire, nuclear test veterans, the Horizon Post Office scandal, the infected blood scandal, and the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash. However, the bill's parliamentary progress has stalled earlier this year due to disputes between the government and campaigners regarding how the duty of candour should apply to intelligence agencies without compromising national security.
Government Response and Recent Developments
A government spokesperson acknowledged the bill's significance, stating it would "fundamentally change the balance of power so that the State must always act for the people it's supposed to serve." They credited the families' strength and determination for making this possible. Recent reports suggest the Prime Minister may scrap plans that would have granted security services a blanket exemption from the law, a move Jenni described as a "positive step." Yet, she expressed disappointment at learning such updates through the media rather than official channels. "If there are problems, why can't we all get round the table and sort it out instead of it lingering – it's painful and it adds to the distress," she told the BBC.
Commemorating the 37th Anniversary
As the 37th anniversary of the disaster approached, tributes were held across Liverpool. Fans at Anfield displayed banners before a match, while the Liverpool team observed a minute's silence ahead of their game against PSG on Tuesday night. A minute's silence was scheduled outside Liverpool Town Hall at 3:06 pm today, the exact time the fateful match was halted, followed by a bell tolling 97 times and an instrumental rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone." The Town Hall opened to the public to view a Freedom of the City plaque engraved with the names of the 97 victims.
A Call for Closure and Justice
Jenni Hicks emphasized the urgent need for resolution, stating, "It's time to move forward and get on with our lives now. But until the Hillsborough Law is settled and implemented that's not going to happen." She directly appealed to the Prime Minister, saying, "Come on Prime Minister, if there is a problem with this, tell us what the problem is, and let's try and sort it out, because it just can't go on and on and on. For a family like me, I lost both my children in the disaster...well, it's just wrong to be quite truthful." The government spokesperson reiterated their commitment, noting, "The events of that day should never have happened, and the victims and their families have continued to fight for people they'll never know so that no one else has to go through the same injustices as them."
