Exclusive: A huge number of Parliamentarians from different party have banded together to tell the government not to replace promised Hillsborough Law with 'toothless' replacement
Concerns are growing that the government may try to weaken its promised Hillsborough Law
Concerns are growing that the government may try to weaken its promised Hillsborough Law
(Image: Ian Cooper)
Nearly 170 cross-party Members of Parliament and Lords have today written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to demand that he fulfils his promise to bring in a full Hillsborough Law as concerns grow about a "toothless replacement" bill.
The powerful letter, co-ordinated by Liverpool West Derby Labour MP and Hillsborough survivor Ian Byrne, has been signed by 138 MPs and 29 Lords from different political parties, including 81 Labour figures.
Four of the five Liverpool MPs have signed it, as have former Labour Secretary of State Lord Peter Hain, former Secretary of State Lord Des Browne, former Shadow Attorney General and director of Liberty Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn MP, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The letter reminds the Prime Minister of the promise he made at the Labour Party Conference in 2022 in Liverpool, when he said that one of his first acts as the nation's leader would be to put the Hillsborough Law on the statute book. The letter states: “Everyone understood what that meant because the Hillsborough Law was an actual Bill which had its first reading in March 2017”.
Ian Byrne, MP for West Derby
Ian Byrne, MP for West Derby(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
This bill - formally known as the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill - was written by experienced lawyers Pete Weatherby KC and Elkan Abrahamson. The bill was introduced to Parliament by current Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Bunrham and was co-sponsored by the likes of then-MP Steve Rotheram and current Merseyside Labour ministers Maria Eagle and Alison McGovern.
The bill - commonly known as Hillsborough Law - seeks to bring in a legal responsibility for public servants to tell the truth - referred to as a duty of candour. It would also ensure legal funding is provided to people affected by state-related disasters, like Hillsborough. The idea of the legislation is to try and avoid cover ups like the many that have been seen across the country - from Hillsborough to the Infected Blood Scandal to The Post Office.
At last year's Labour conference, following Labour's sweeping election win, the Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to bringing a Hillsborough Law in before the 36th anniversary of the 1989 disaster in which 97 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed. But that deadline - on April 15 this year - was missed and concerns have been growing that the government will try to weaken the proposed new law.
A draft bill previously put forward was criticised by campaigners and was said to not have the support of the Hillsborough families, who have been the driving force behind the movement for a new Hillsborough Law.
The new letter to the PM states that the proposed replacement bill 'delivered on none of the key parts of the Hillsborough Law', adding: "The Government appears to be about to put forward a further replacement bill, and has indicated it will not share a draft prior to putting it before the House.” This replacement bill, the letter adds, is set to “fall far short of what was promised to the families.”
The letter adds: "We have no doubt that the attempts to replace the bill with wholly deficient and ineffective redrafts are led by those who are most likely to be affected by the Hillsborough Law: senior civil servants and public institutions who want to retain their impunity in protecting their reputations above telling the truth.” It warns that this bill as it stands would not have the support of the Hillsborough families, survivors or other victims of state cover-ups.
Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly promised to bring in a Hillsborough Law at Labour conferences in Liverpool
Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly promised to bring in a Hillsborough Law at Labour conferences in Liverpool
In a direct challenge to the Prime Minister, the letter concludes: "We call on you to show leadership and strength in driving through the practical and effective provisions of the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill as you promised to do, and not some toothless replacement. We urge you not to pass up this opportunity to achieve generational culture change, and a step change in the integrity of public life."
In a statement released to the ECHO, Mr Byrne added: "The Prime Minister told the people of Liverpool and the country he would end the culture of cover ups and enact the Hillsborough Law. He didn’t say ‘a Hillsborough Law’. He said ‘the Hillsborough Law’.
"The Prime Minister owes it to the 97, Hillsborough families and survivors – and to all victims of state cover-ups – to fulfil that promise. The legislation is ready to go. It’s just a question of political will. If the Prime Minister doesn’t enact the Hillsborough Law in full, it will be seen as another betrayal of Hillsborough families, survivors and victims of other state cover-ups.”
Earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told the House of Commons that the government remains 'fully committed' to introducing a Hillsborough Law and said it would be brought forward as soon as ministers were confident that it would 'deliver the justice victims deserve.'