The government has withdrawn an amendment to its proposed Hillsborough law after a backlash from campaigners and MPs who argued it would allow senior officials in the security services to opt out of the duty to tell the truth.
The public office (accountability) bill, prompted by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, aims to impose a legal duty on public officials and contractors to be honest after major incidents. The government had proposed bringing spies within the scope of the legislation, but subject to approval from the head of their service, which critics said would let security chiefs decide what to disclose.
In a last-minute reversal, the government decided not to move the amendment on Monday, opting instead to work with campaigners and bereaved families on further changes when the bill reaches the House of Lords. A government spokesperson said the move was intended to ensure the bill is as strong as possible without compromising national security.
The campaign group Hillsborough Law Now welcomed the withdrawal, posting on X that it would engage with the government to ensure the bill fully applies to security services without jeopardising national security. The legislation stems from the 1989 crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium, where 97 people died. After a 27-year campaign, an inquest in 2016 found that supporters were unlawfully killed due to gross negligence by police and that no behaviour by fans contributed to the disaster.
Labour MPs, including Ian Byrne and Paula Barker, had warned that the amendment would break promises to the bereaved and damage the party's reputation. John McDonnell described the proposed law with the amendment as a 'complete car crash'. The government has faced several recent U-turns on policy, including farmers' inheritance tax and digital ID cards.
