Hillsborough: Jack Straw blames Thatcher government for creating “culture of impunity” in the police

On the Today Programme this morning, Straw said:

“The Thatcher government, because they needed the police to be a partisan force, particularly for the miners strike and other industrial troubles, created a culture of impunity in the police service. They really were immune from outside influences and they thought they could rule the roost and that is what we absolutely saw in south Yorkshire.”

Straw also said that it was “a matter of great regret” to him that Labour had not ensured proper investigation of Hillsborough during 13 years in government.