After a historic year which saw the landmark legislation laid before Parliament, Liam Thorp looks ahead to what comes next
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer greets Charlotte Hennessy (left), Sue Roberts (second left), Margaret Aspinall (second right) and Steve Kelly (right)
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer greets Charlotte Hennessy (left), Sue Roberts (second left), Margaret Aspinall (second right) and Steve Kelly (right)
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There was a worrying moment in March of this year, when the hopes of a long-awaited and historic Hillsborough Law ever becoming a reality lay in near-ruins.
Six months earlier, the newly elected Prime Minister had stood on stage at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool and pledged that the new law - named in honour of those who were unlawfully killed at Hillsborough - would be laid before Parliament in time for the the 36th anniversary of the disaster on April 15 2025.
The bill, he said, would contain a legal duty of candour, forcing public officials to tell the truth or face possible criminal sanctions and a level playing field of legal aid for the families who were simply unlucky enough to be caught up in inquests and inquiries.
But with that important deadline looming into view, relations between those working on the Hillsborough Law campaign and government officials had reached an all time low.
Those close to the campaign were deeply frustrated that they had only been offered one meeting with officials since the September conference and were repeatedly being told everything was fine with the proposed legislation.
When they were eventually presented with a proposed bill, it did not contain the core tenants of what had been campaigned for by the Hillsborough families and so many others.
Those involved in the campaign said the essential duty of candour had been watered down to just a voluntary code of conduct and the parity of legal funding was restricted to victims of terror attacks, deaths in police custody and local authority wrongdoing.
The mood was not helped when hostile briefings in the national press appeared, with ludicrous suggestions that the new law would see civil servants sanctioned for telling white lies about why they were late for work.
Hillsborough families met with Keir Starmer ahead of the Bill being laid before Parliament
Hillsborough families met with Keir Starmer ahead of the Bill being laid before Parliament
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The situation reached a head when the Prime Minister, having been made aware of the anger amongst families and campaigners, cancelled a scheduled meeting due to take place in March.
A government spokesperson would later state that more time was needed to draft a "best version" of the Hillsborough Law and that, regretfully, the anniversary deadline would not be met.
While this was a painful moment for family members who had hoped that such a difficult date would this year provide a moment of hope, they agreed it was better to wait for a full-fat version of the bill, rather than settling for anything less.
It was after this point, as the summer crept into view, that those involved in the campaign said they felt a different energy from those in government. The Prime Minister had taken a far more active role in the negotiations and had assigned his trusted ally, the attorney general Richard Hermer, to liaise with the campaign directly.
Over the summer there were frequent meetings as individual points were thrashed up, all in the hope that the bill could be laid before Parliament before the Labour Party Conference returned to Liverpool in late September. As one campaign source said at the time: "If this doesn't get across the line before the PM comes back to the city, it will be a disaster."
And after negotiations ran right until the final deadline of midnight on Friday September 12, the ECHO was able to report the following Monday that the new law would enter the House of Commons the very next day.
And what a day that was. The ECHO was honoured to be invited to join Hillsborough family members Charlotte Hennessy, Sue Roberts, Steve Kelly and Margaret Aspinall as they first travelled to Downing Street for a meeting with the Prime Minister, before they joined other members of the campaign to watch the Justice Secretary lay the bill in Parliament.
It was a day that marked the culmination of so many years of hard work and campaigning by those who have lost so much and who want to help others avoid the harrowing journey towards truth and justice that they faced - as Margaret Aspinall would say so powerfully as she introduced the Prime Minister at the party conference some days later.
While certainly a moment for celebration, the families knew in September that this battle was far from won.
Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall, on stage ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivering his keynote speech
Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall, on stage ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivering his keynote speech
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The bill would continue on its journey through Parliament, with the families in attendance once again for the second reading. The committee stage seeing the government adding further strength to the bill with an amendment that makes local councils and authorities covered by its powers.
Up next will be the report stage, where MPs on the floor of the Commons can speak about the legislation, before a third reading gives another final chance for debate in the lower house.
It is the moment the bill moves up to the House of Lords that campaigners are most concerned about. This is where they feel the process could become frustrated and potentially delayed.
More briefings to the national press have not allayed these fears. A recent article in The Observer caused fury amongst the campaigners after spuriously suggesting that concern is growing that the legislation will become a "lawyer's charter", making money for solicitors and barristers while ramping up public spending on inquests and inquiries and delay justice.
Those involved and linked to the campaign were incensed and deeply disappointed by those perceived to be behind such briefings. It was noted that the official Hillsborough Law Campaign was not consulted for the article.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who first proposed the Hillsborough Law bill in Parliament in 2017 took to social media to state: "Didn't take some in Westminster long to start briefing against the Hillsborough Law. Disappointing to say the least. The Bill will achieve the exact opposite of what they claim."
Liverpool MP Ian Byrne, the parliamentary lead for Hillsborough Law reacted similarly. He said: "We always knew that those in Westminster opposed to real culture change would never stop trying to derail the Hillsborough Law.
"The battle continues & we won’t rest till we get a Hillsborough Law worthy of the name."
If it did anything, the article refocussed the minds and resolve of those who have battled for so long for this historic change in the law. It served as a reminder that there remain those in the Westminster machine that don't want to see a change to the status quo and that this bill will not get over the line without a fight.
Thankfully, as they have proven time and time again, everyone involved with the Hillsborough Law campaign is more than up for that fight.