Families of the victims of Britain's deadliest football tragedy have declared they feel "insulted" and "duped" by the ongoing lack of progress on the Hillsborough Law. The government has missed its own deadline to deliver this landmark legislation by the 2025 anniversary of the disaster, and the bill remains stalled in Parliament nearly a year after its introduction.
Campaign for Accountability Stalls in Parliament
Bereaved families of the 97 Liverpool fans who died on April 15, 1989, have united with survivors of other major British disasters and injustices to continue pushing for the Hillsborough Law. This legislation would establish a legally binding duty of candour for public officials during investigations and public inquiries, aiming to prevent cover-ups and ensure transparency.
Starmer's Pledge Meets Parliamentary Gridlock
Prime Minister Keir Starmer repeatedly committed to implementing the Hillsborough Law in full through Labour's election-winning manifesto in 2024. He welcomed family members to 10 Downing Street on the historic day the bill was first introduced in the House of Commons. However, the legislation's journey through Parliament has been plagued by significant delays, primarily due to disputes over how the law might affect intelligence services.
Campaigners and families are growing increasingly exasperated as it becomes clear the bill will not return to Parliament during the current session, which concludes this Thursday. Parliament is scheduled to reconvene on April 13, making it highly probable that another Hillsborough anniversary will pass without the promised law being enacted.
National Security Concerns Fuel Delays
The campaign group Hillsborough Law Now, which coordinated a recent letter to the Prime Minister urging decisive action, believes Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's concerns about national security have significantly impacted the bill's progress. In a Commons statement on January 19, Prime Minister Starmer emphasized the government's need to "get the balance right" regarding the application of the duty of candour to security and intelligence agencies.
Starmer stated: "Obviously, I have to focus on the national interest, my primary duty as Prime Minister, which is to keep this country safe and secure. That is the duty I hold above all other duties, and I take it really seriously, which is why we're just taking time to make sure that we get that balance absolutely right."
Families Insist on Existing Safeguards
Campaigners maintain they simply want existing national security safeguards to apply to the bill, not to compromise intelligence operations. Charlotte Hennessy, whose father Jimmy was unlawfully killed at Hillsborough, expressed the group's frustration: "We feel incredibly disappointed; I would go as far as to say some of our members feel duped. We have put this letter together just to express our anger and the feeling of unrest we have."
Hennessy added: "This is very draining. We were all under the impression that this would be on its way to getting Royal Assent by now, and there is only so many times you can take another stall in the process. We've always been very, very clear with the government that we wouldn't go anywhere near the secret service or anything like that. This is about giving a legal duty of candour to all public servants and organisations."
Sacrifices and Broken Promises
The families highlight the personal sacrifices they have made to advance the campaign, including missing work, losing pay, and managing family commitments. Hennessy criticized the Prime Minister's position: "The Prime Minister is the one who made this pledge. I am fed up of this narrative that he didn't realise what he was jumping into. He's a very intelligent man, the former director of public prosecutions; he knew what he was committing to. He needs to pick a lane now and evaluate his position. People voted for him because of this; he needs to make a firm decision."
Following reports that the Home Secretary declined to meet with the group, Hennessy questioned: "She is the minister for MI5 and the security services; how can we come to a resolution and hear her concerns if she won't meet with us? The fact that we are now at this point of uncertainty and unrest is not only upsetting but also deeply insulting to the good people that put their faith in the hands of our Prime Minister, even though that went against their better judgement."
Government Response and Ongoing Dialogue
A government spokesperson addressed the delays, stating: "The Hillsborough disaster will remain in our national consciousness for its tragedy and disgraceful injustice. Our legislation will right these wrongs, changing the balance of power so the State must always act for the people it is supposed to serve. We must take the time to get this right, bringing in a Bill that is testament to their decades campaigning, while never compromising on national security."
The spokesperson added: "The families and campaigners have always been at the heart of this process; we have met with them regularly over the last year and continue to work closely with them." Despite these assurances, the continued parliamentary delays leave families in a state of painful limbo as they await the accountability legislation they have fought for over decades.
