Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has paid an emotional tribute to the families of the 97 Liverpool fans unlawfully killed in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, praising their courage and tireless campaigning as the landmark Hillsborough Law returns to the House of Commons for its final stage.
Hillsborough Law Returns to Commons
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, commonly known as the Hillsborough Law, will be debated in the House of Commons on Tuesday for its Report Stage and Third Reading — the final stages a bill must pass in the lower house. The legislation introduces a new Duty of Candour, making it a criminal offence to mislead proceedings, and expands legal aid to ensure bereaved families have equal, publicly-funded representation at inquests.
The bill was first laid before Parliament in September 2024, but its progress was delayed by a dispute over how the duty of candour would affect intelligence and security services. A breakthrough has been reached, with amendments allowing compliance directions for current and former intelligence agency staff, addressing national security concerns.
Campaigners Hail 'Monumental Change'
In a statement, Hillsborough campaigners Charlotte Hennessy, Sue Roberts, Steve Kelly and Margaret Aspinall said: 'Following the conclusions of the fresh Hillsborough Inquests in 2016, we knew that we could not stand by and let professionals and organisations continue to abuse their positions of power. For 10 years we have campaigned for a change in the law to stop cover-ups, and enable bereaved families access to legal aid at a time when they need it the most.'
They added: 'It has been an honour and a privilege to fight for this monumental change of law alongside so many other strong, dedicated campaigners. We have shown that true power belongs to ordinary people. We did not stay silent, we were not ground down, we were not afraid to speak truth to power. This is not just about legislation, but about changing the way the bereaved and survivors are treated and a change in culture, and it is deeply empowering knowing that this protects others, forever.'
Prime Minister's Tribute
Sir Keir Starmer, who promised the law before entering Downing Street, provided a statement to the Liverpool Echo. He said: 'I don’t think I could have done it. I have a football-mad teenage son. I go to games with him and his sister. But I do not think I have the same courage in me that Margaret Aspinall has shown, over the decades, fighting for justice for her son, James.'
He continued: 'That’s the first thing that humbles you when meeting the Hillsborough families – how much they have endured. It’s not just the unimaginable pain of losing their loved ones at a football game - a place of joy and human spirit. It is also the burden of having to grieve whilst the full power of the British state is deployed to cover up the truth.'
The Prime Minister recalled how Margaret Aspinall had to use insurance pay-out from her son's death to pay for a barrister at the original inquest, while the state used taxpayer money to hire armies of lawyers to deny justice. He said the Hillsborough Law ensures such a shameful episode can never happen again.
Law for Everyone
Starmer noted a class element to the issue, citing the Grenfell Fire, Windrush, Grooming Gangs and Horizon Scandal as examples where the British state failed to see injustice because of who the victims were. He said: 'That is why, while it is right this law will always bear the Hillsborough name, it is not just a law for the 97. It is a law for everyone. And a symbol of a state that the Labour Party, in the proudest tradition of its values, will make accountable to working people.'
Once the bill completes its Commons stages, it will proceed to the House of Lords. Campaigners view the breakthrough as a hugely significant step. The Liverpool Echo will travel to Parliament with Hillsborough family members and the Hillsborough Law Now campaign team to witness the vote.
