Hillsborough, official skulduggery, hostility and lies

I was one of the two government ministers who called for full disclosure of all existing documentation relating to the Hillsborough disaster on the 20th anniversary of the tragedy in 2009, along with Andy Burnham. The incredible show of solidarity and dignity at the Anfield memorial that year, as well as the chants for justice, which interrupted Andy’s speech on that occasion led to the establishment of the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

Both Andy Burnham and I were able to push, behind the scenes in government and overcome obstacles in Whitehall to achieve that. I hope that this process, ably led by the Bishop of Liverpool, who knows what trauma the tragedy still causes across the city, will finally bring everything that can now be known and every document that now exists, 22 years after the event into the public domain.

One of the reasons I thought it reasonable to call for this unprecedented process of disclosure is because 20 years on, with no further legal action possible, there is no excuse for failing to relieve the agony of the families by just producing everything there is and simply letting them see it.

The Hillsborough families have had to endure one of the most sustained and disgraceful campaigns of official skulduggery, hostility and lies of any victims families that I know. It began on the day of the tragedy, continued for years and even now has left families feeling understandably distrustful and suspicious of officialdom.

It is as well to remember that one of the first things senior officers in charge of policing the semi-final on that day did was lie to the BBC about why the gates at Leppings Lane were opened, in order to cover up their own culpability. They suggested fans had forced the gates, when they themselves had ordered them to be opened, something Lord Justice Taylor called ‘a disgraceful lie’.

Bad police behaviour continued on that day. They refused to allow ambulances which might have saved lives into the ground because they were treating it like a riot not a disaster. They treated families who arrived on the scene to look for missing relatives as if they were criminals.

But there was worse to come. Police briefed the Sun newspaper that the victims had caused the crush and that fans who merely sought to assist the injured and dying were stealing from them and urinating on them – vile and untrue calumnies which heaped distress on top of bereavement.

As if this were not enough, the South Yorkshire police then established what I have referred to in parliament as a black propaganda unit which systematically set about altering police statements in an attempt to influence Lord Justice Taylor’s Inquiry into the causes of the disaster. It failed – mainly because they didn’t have time to complete the job and Taylor rebuked them severely for refusing to take responsibility for what they had done. The South Yorkshire police kept the unit in place and simply set about persuading the South Yorkshire Coroner of their story, preferring to try and engineer historical revisionism rather than face up to the fact that they were at fault and found to be at fault by the Taylor Inquiry.

Despite all of this disgraceful behaviour, the Chief Constable didn’t resign and the two senior officers in charge on that day were retired on medical grounds and with large pensions to avoid them having to face disciplinary action. No-one responsible has ever had to account for the loss of control on the day or for the extended despicable behaviour which followed for a period of years thereafter.

No wonder the families are suspicious of officialdom.

It is in that context that I strongly support the call in Steve Rotheram’s motion to be debated in parliament today for full disclosure of all government related documents, including cabinet minutes relating to the disaster, uncensored and without redaction.

It is right that parliament itself has a chance to vote to reinforce this point because the terms of reference of the panel contain many caveats which will enable the government to try to get the panel not to publish some documents.

I believe that a vote in parliament for full publication will strengthen the hand of the Hillsborough Independent Panel in any discussions they may have to have with the government about ultimate publication of all the material produced to them. Though prompted by the government’s reaction to the Information Commissioner’s ruling that Cabinet Minutes should be produced, this important debate will allow parliament to make its views clear – on a votable motion about what it expects to see in terms of disclosure. We as parliamentarians should take the chance to do so and to say clearly – we are with the families.

They must see everything. There must be no more suspicions of sinister official manoeuvring to prevent the full truth of the disaster coming out. That is all the families want. We must help them get it.