Government introduces ‘Hillsborough Law’ to Parliament

The government has announced the long-awaited ‘Hillsborough Law’, which will be introduced to Parliament today.

The long-awaited Public Office (Accountabilty) Bil, widely known as the Hillsborough Law – as it has been called for by the families of those who died during that tragedy, will introduce a new legal duty of candour on all public officials and authorities to prevent the kind of coverups seen after the Hillsborough disaster – as well as in the Horizon Post Office and infected blood scandals and the Grefell Tower fire.

Public officials will have to act with honesty and integrity at all times and could face criminal prosecution if they failed to do so. The bill will introduce a new offence of misleading the public.

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Bereaved families will also have their legal representation at inquests publicly funded. This is intended to ensure that they are on an equal legal footing with public bodies. This will be one of the largest expansions of legal aid in a decade.

Announcing the legislation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

“Hillsborough will always remain in our national consciousness for its tragedy and disgraceful injustice. But today it can also be remembered for the way it changed our country for the better. Because with this law, we are changing the balance of power in Britain and ensuring that the State can never hide from the people it is supposed to serve.”

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The campaigner Margaret Aspinall – whose son died in the tragedy – said:

“This campaign wasn’t about just us, it is about the ordinary people of this country, hopefully this law will mean no one will ever have to suffer like we did.”

It comes weeks ahead of the Labour Party conference, taking place in Liverpool, and amid concerns from campaigners that the bill would be watered down or delayed further.

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