Labour Government Hits Roadblock Over Hillsborough Law Amid Bereaved Families' Resistance
A promised legacy of truth and justice in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster seems increasingly fragile as Labour government's attempts to introduce the long-awaited Hillsborough law have stalled.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had been championed by bereaved families, including Margaret Aspinall, whose son James was killed in the tragedy. The party had committed to introducing a bill to make it easier for police and intelligence services to be held accountable when they lie or evade under oath.
However, a meeting between the Prime Minister and families involved has left many questioning whether this promised reform will ever come to fruition.
Critics argue that Starmer's government is struggling with its own dual identity as a champion of human rights but also those close to the security services. One Labour MP said that he cannot afford for this law to collapse, especially given how much his party had staked on it.
The issue at hand revolves around an amendment to duty of candour in public office bill which applies to serving intelligence officers. The families want individual officers to be held accountable under a 100% version of the law but have been met with resistance from the security services, who say that without giving them final say over when evidence can go to official inquiries, it poses national security risks.
The families claim that previous inquests showed that giving intelligence chiefs the final word on sensitive information has led to cover-ups in the past. Jenni Hicks, whose daughters were killed at Hillsborough said 80% was not good enough and insisted there could be no exclusions - 'everybody has to tell the truth.'
A Labour MP echoed her sentiments saying that how can he make a commitment if it is not going to be delivered?
A promised legacy of truth and justice in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster seems increasingly fragile as Labour government's attempts to introduce the long-awaited Hillsborough law have stalled.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had been championed by bereaved families, including Margaret Aspinall, whose son James was killed in the tragedy. The party had committed to introducing a bill to make it easier for police and intelligence services to be held accountable when they lie or evade under oath.
However, a meeting between the Prime Minister and families involved has left many questioning whether this promised reform will ever come to fruition.
Critics argue that Starmer's government is struggling with its own dual identity as a champion of human rights but also those close to the security services. One Labour MP said that he cannot afford for this law to collapse, especially given how much his party had staked on it.
The issue at hand revolves around an amendment to duty of candour in public office bill which applies to serving intelligence officers. The families want individual officers to be held accountable under a 100% version of the law but have been met with resistance from the security services, who say that without giving them final say over when evidence can go to official inquiries, it poses national security risks.
The families claim that previous inquests showed that giving intelligence chiefs the final word on sensitive information has led to cover-ups in the past. Jenni Hicks, whose daughters were killed at Hillsborough said 80% was not good enough and insisted there could be no exclusions - 'everybody has to tell the truth.'
A Labour MP echoed her sentiments saying that how can he make a commitment if it is not going to be delivered?
and those families are just getting more frustrated by the minute 
i mean who can blame them tho? it's been over 30 yrs since hillsborough and ppl are still waiting 4 some justice 
especially when u got a gov that claims 2 stand 4 human rights but then they're all like "oh no we gotta protect national security" 
what a contradiction, fam! 
i'm low-key rooting 4 those families who are still fighting for the truth 
and i hope someone in power listens 2 them before it's too late 
this whole thing is giving me so much anxiety but we gotta keep pushing 4 change 
, i get that national security is important but you cant just sweep stuff under the rug for the sake of national security. how are we supposed to have trust in our institutions if they dont hold themselves accountable?
Can't believe this law is stalled over some dodgy national security claims 
. I mean, who are we kidding here? The safety of our citizens shouldn't come second to some bureaucratic nonsense 
. Get it together, government! 
this is so disappointing... i was really hoping for some real change on this issue 
. the fact that the gov's trying to water down the law because of national security concerns is just wrong 
. 100% accountability is what those families want and deserve 
. The families of the Hillsborough victims have been through enough trauma and it's unacceptable that their voices aren't being heard loud and clear 
. 80% is not good enough, if you're going to do it right, then do it right 
. I'm not sure what kind of deal-making is happening behind closed doors, but I hope the government isn't compromising on a bill that's meant to bring justice and accountability 
this is so heartbreaking i cant even imagine how hard it must be for these families who are already grieving and then they have to fight for justice again it feels like the system is against them 
and its like starmer has let them down by promising something that he doesnt seem to be able to deliver anymore what did you think of this?
It's like, how can they balance both sides without creating a major scandal? And what's with the Labour party not being on the same page? They're all for human rights, but then they get cold feet when it comes to making some tough decisions. I'm low-key worried that this whole thing is gonna fall apart 
. What if they just end up passing something watered down and the families are still not satisfied? 
. It's like the government is playing with fire when it comes to holding public officials accountable for lying or evading under oath 
. These families deserve nothing but the truth, and it's time someone starts holding those in power accountable 
.
. Can't they just make a decision already?! 
but at the same time, i can kinda see where the security services are coming from? 
and then again, shouldn't our government be able to keep its promises to its citizens if they're going to make a commitment to introduce this law in the first place? 
i mean, what's 80% really going to cut it when so many people are still hurting from these tragedies? 
It just sounds like a bunch of dodgy excuses to me.
everyone should be held accountable under a 100% version of the law, no exceptions or exclusions 
newsflash: transparency and truth are more important than secrets and lies 
Labour promised to deliver on truth and justice, but now it seems like they're struggling with their own identity crisis 
The fact that some Labour MPs are afraid of losing their party's backing is laughable 
this law would really help hold those in power accountable when they lie or hide the truth