Families furious that major development on Hillsborough Law was leaked out before they had seen it - just days before they prepare to pay respects to their lost loved ones
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father James was among the 97 killed in 1989 Hillsborough disaster, speaking during the Labour Party Conference at the ACC Liverpool.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father James was among the 97 killed in 1989 Hillsborough disaster, speaking during the Labour Party Conference at the ACC Liverpool(Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
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The leaking of a major proposal regarding the landmark Hillsborough Law to a national newspaper just days before the anniversary of the disaster has been slammed as 'unspeakably cruel' by family members of the 97 Liverpool fans unlawfully killed in the disaster.
This weekend, The Times reported on a potentially hugely significant shift in the government's approach to the new Hillsborough Law - which aims to bring into law a duty of candour to force public officials to tell the truth during inquiries and inquests.
The new legislation, also known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, was making its way through Parliament when it reached an impasse as a row broke out over how the new law would affect the security services, with the families saying they could not support a government amendment which would give spy bosses an effective veto.
But now it is reported that Sir Keir Starmer - who has made multiple promises to bring in a Hillsborough Law in full - will scrap the amendment and not allow spy chiefs the veto that exists within it. A report in The Times suggests that instead, security service bosses would have to make a court application for disclosures to be partially or fully exempted on grounds of national security.
Hillsborough families have been caught off guard by the leak of this information, which came before they have even been able to see the proposed changes to the legislation. The ECHO understands the new text is still being consulted on across government departments.
And there is enormous anger that such an enormous and potentially decisive update would be leaked out to a national newspaper ahead of the families being consulted.
Sources close to the campaign believe the Home Office is to blame for the leak. The ECHO has approached the Home Office for a response.
Family members said it was particularly harrowing for this leak to occur just days before the 37th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster - at a time when they should be able to think about their loved ones who were unlawfully killed after travelling to support Liverpool at an FA Cup Semi Final in Sheffield.
In a statement to the ECHO, Charlotte Hennessy, who was just six-years-old when her dad Jimmy was killed at Hillsborough, spoke of the anger being felt by her and fellow family members and pointed the finger of blame squarely at the Home Office.
Hillsborough families met with Keir Starmer ahead of the Bill being laid before Parliament last year
Hillsborough families met with Keir Starmer ahead of the Bill being laid before Parliament last year(Image: Getty Images)
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She said: "Our working relationship with Number 10 continues to be a proactive and positive one. So much so that it was collectively agreed that the government would not announce anything in relation to the Bill this week out of respect for the 97 and to allow bereaved families and survivors some down time in what has been an incredibly difficult week.
"Therefore, it is unspeakably cruel that this information has been leaked, with sources telling us this came from the Home Office. It is cruel to put us through the stress of having to deal with the leak at a time when anxiety is high and mood is low.
"We are hopeful that the government will update us urgently in relation to this matter, so we can speak on it further."
The director of the Hillsborough Law Now group, Pete Weatherby KC, told the BBC: "We have had no update from government, and as far as we are aware none of the outstanding issues have been addressed.
"We have no idea what's going on with the progress of the legislation at the moment and will be making no further comment until we are given a government update."
Speaking at an event in Manchester today, Sir Keir Starmer was asked about the latest developments with the Hillsborough Law and repeated his promise to bring the new legislation in fully.
He said: “I did make that promise and I intend to deliver on that promise.
“This week is obviously an important week because it’s the anniversary – anniversary seems the wrong word in a way – but it's the yearly reminder of what happened and the pain the families have gone through, are still going through, and the injustice that was inflicted on them for many, many years.”
He added: "I intend to make good on the promise that I made.
"Obviously we’re working with the families and others on the final balance that we need to get right in the proposed legislation. But the duty of candour, the duty, basically, that public officials need to come forward and tell the truth – that’s a really important principle that drives me.
"So we’ll keep working on this, it’s important to get it right - I’ve made a promise and I intend to act on that promise."
The Home Office and the Cabinet Office were approached for responses.