Prime Minister warned to deliver Hillsborough law in full by Labour MPs
Sir Keir Starmer had promised to deliver the draft law by April 15 last year
Last updated 9 hours ago
The “buck stops with the Prime Minister” to deliver Hillsborough law in full and stop the distressing delays, Labour MPs have warned.
It came as the House of Commons supported a carry-over motion on Monday, meaning the Public Office (Accountability) Bill can continue to progress in the next parliamentary session.
Sir Keir Starmer had promised to deliver the draft law by April 15 last year, to mark the 36th anniversary of the disaster, however, progress was stalled following concerns over changes which could see the proposed duty of candour disapplied to intelligence agencies.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said the Government remains “resolutely committed to delivering this vital piece of legislation” and pledged to bring it back to the chamber “as soon as possible”.
Labour’s Ian Byrne, who was at Hillsborough when 97 Liverpool football fans were killed, said the delays cause “profound distress” and responsibility for them “rests solely with the Government”.
The MP for Liverpool West Derby said: “I welcome the Government tabling this carry-over motion for the Hillsborough law, but in truth, it should never have come to this.”
He added: “This delay rests solely with the Government that, at times, has refused to push past the vested interests that were always going to oppose transparency and accountability.
“Minister, it was never in doubt that we will face resistance – we have discussed this before – but political courage and determination are essential when seeking to change a culture of cover-ups that has damaged our country and undermined trust in our institutions.”
Mr Byrne continued: “The Prime Minister promised on multiple occasions that passing the Hillsborough law would be among the first acts of this Government. Yet, two anniversaries of Hillsborough and an entire parliamentary session have now passed without it being delivered.
“That is simply not good enough.
“And when I hear that certain ministers oppose this legislation due to pressure from the security services and the Ministry of Defence, I have to say, that is precisely why leadership is required, because minister, the buck stops with the Prime Minister to push through disagreements and ensure this is delivered in its entirety.
“Every delay causes real and profound distress to bereaved families, survivors and campaigners – people who have spent decades fighting for truth, justice and accountability against the state that failed them and then sought to cover-up those failures.
“And crucially, as we have always said, this law is vital for the many people who don’t yet know they will one day need it.”
Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree, Paula Barker, said: “Enough obfuscation from our party and our Government.
“I don’t know who it is that is preventing this Bill from going forward, but it is absolutely shameful, and it must stop. The Hillsborough law must be delivered in full.”
Labour MP for Knowsley Anneliese Midgley said: “We were promised inclusion within the process, and we would like a guarantee that the leaks to the media stop, the delays stop, and everyone involved will refocus and remember that this is a legacy for 97 innocent victims as well as future generations.”
Shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan accused the Government of having “utterly mishandled this legislation from start to finish”.
He added: “Trust has been damaged on all sides, even though this is a Bill about trust. It’s a Bill about candour, it’s about whether the public can believe what they are told by those who exercise power on their behalf.
“Yet the process by which the government has brought this Bill forward has too often fallen short of the standards that ministers themselves say they want to impose on others through the very Bill.”
Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman Jess Brown-Fuller pressed for “a swift resolution”, adding: “These families have waited far too long for this legislation. They can’t afford to be approaching another Christmas and not seeing this finally enacted.”
Responding to the debate, Ms Davies-Jones said: “This is a Bill for the families, and we continue to work with them daily, at this point, to ensure that we get this right.
“But the Government’s first priority is that of national security, and we will not compromise on that. But we are determined to get this right, and we are also committed to no carve outs in this Bill.
“We will bring this Bill back as soon as possible, but we will only do so once we have that full agreement with the families that this is the Hillsborough law, so that it can be on the statute books, and it can be that legacy, and it can be that fundamental reframe of the state and families.”
Ms Davies-Jones continued: “I also want to place on record the Government’s complete disgust at the briefings, the leaking, and the way in which some of this is playing out within the media. The Government does not condone that.”