Liverpool and Manchester Mayors Urge Withdrawal of 'Misguided' Hillsborough Law Amendment
The mayors of Liverpool and Manchester have issued a joint statement urging the government to withdraw an amendment to the Hillsborough law, which they claim would compromise national security and undermine the spirit of the legislation.
According to Steve Rotheram, the Liverpool city region mayor, and Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, the current draft of the public office (accountability) bill is "inadequate" as it allows intelligence officials to decide what information is released to investigators after a major incident. This, they say, creates a broad opt-out that risks hiding serious failures behind vague claims of national security.
The mayors have expressed their concerns following warnings from Hillsborough campaigners that the amendment might allow security officials to conceal information. They argue that this would undermine the spirit of the legislation and risk undermining public trust in the government.
"We appreciate the efforts of those working on the Hillsborough Law, but we need to ensure it is robust enough to deliver accountability," said Rotheram and Burnham in a joint statement. "We urge the government to withdraw their amendment ahead of Monday's debate and work with families and campaigners to find a solution that strengthens the law."
The mayors' concerns have been echoed by other MPs, including Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who has tabled his own amendments to the bill. He has expressed disappointment at the current form of the legislation and warned that it is "not fit for purpose" unless significant changes are made.
The Hillsborough disaster in 1989 remains one of the darkest moments in British sporting history, with 96 Liverpool fans killed and over 700 injured due to negligent crowd control by South Yorkshire police. The tragedy has led to ongoing calls for a law that would require public officials to come clean about their role in major disasters.
The government has faced criticism from campaigners and some MPs for the current draft of the Hillsborough Law, with many arguing that it is not robust enough to deliver true accountability. With the bill set to be debated on Monday, the mayors' call for withdrawal of the amendment has added weight to the growing chorus of concerns about its impact on transparency and public trust.
The mayors of Liverpool and Manchester have issued a joint statement urging the government to withdraw an amendment to the Hillsborough law, which they claim would compromise national security and undermine the spirit of the legislation.
According to Steve Rotheram, the Liverpool city region mayor, and Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, the current draft of the public office (accountability) bill is "inadequate" as it allows intelligence officials to decide what information is released to investigators after a major incident. This, they say, creates a broad opt-out that risks hiding serious failures behind vague claims of national security.
The mayors have expressed their concerns following warnings from Hillsborough campaigners that the amendment might allow security officials to conceal information. They argue that this would undermine the spirit of the legislation and risk undermining public trust in the government.
"We appreciate the efforts of those working on the Hillsborough Law, but we need to ensure it is robust enough to deliver accountability," said Rotheram and Burnham in a joint statement. "We urge the government to withdraw their amendment ahead of Monday's debate and work with families and campaigners to find a solution that strengthens the law."
The mayors' concerns have been echoed by other MPs, including Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who has tabled his own amendments to the bill. He has expressed disappointment at the current form of the legislation and warned that it is "not fit for purpose" unless significant changes are made.
The Hillsborough disaster in 1989 remains one of the darkest moments in British sporting history, with 96 Liverpool fans killed and over 700 injured due to negligent crowd control by South Yorkshire police. The tragedy has led to ongoing calls for a law that would require public officials to come clean about their role in major disasters.
The government has faced criticism from campaigners and some MPs for the current draft of the Hillsborough Law, with many arguing that it is not robust enough to deliver true accountability. With the bill set to be debated on Monday, the mayors' call for withdrawal of the amendment has added weight to the growing chorus of concerns about its impact on transparency and public trust.
can't believe these politicians are already trying to water down the law that's supposed to hold them accountable 
. Like, what's next? Are they gonna try to sneak in some loopholes for themselves? 
the fact that intelligence officials get to decide what info is released to investigators is straight out of a bad spy novel 
. it's all about 'national security' but really it's just about covering their own backsides 
. I mean, if they're so concerned about national security, why can't we trust them to tell the truth? 
. I think it's a huge mistake if they're gonna make it harder for us to know what really happened, you know? It's like, if there are serious mistakes or cover-ups, we need to be able to see that and hold people accountable 
. This current draft is just not good enough 
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. now we can stream them live from space 
. and yet, we're still debating the details of a law that's supposed to make things more transparent... kinda crazy when you think about it 
. And what's with the vague language? "Broad opt-out" that risks hiding serious failures? Give me a break! 
This bill needs a major overhaul, pronto 
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... I can imagine how difficult it must be for the families of the 96 people who lost their lives in Hillsborough 
... I'm glad the mayors are speaking up for change and for accountability 
... we need more transparency and less secrecy 
... hope the government listens to their concerns and makes some changes soon 
. these mayors are right, we need a law that'll keep our leaders accountable, not one that'll protect them from scrutiny 
. it's like they're more worried about covering their own behinds than doing what's right 
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It's a tough line to draw between national security and transparency, but I think the mayors of Liverpool and Manchester are right on the money – we need to push back and demand better from our leaders 
the government's amended version of hillsborough law is super sketchy ... they're basically gonna let security officials play god with info 
and cover up any serious failures behind some vague national security claim 
that's not what accountability is all about, imo 
just more room for gov to spin and hide stuff 
We need strong laws, not ones that let officials play games with the truth. It's time for the government to listen to the campaigners and families affected by these disasters and make sure this law is robust enough to deliver real change 
The current draft of the Hillsborough law is a perfect example of this phrase being true. If left unchecked, it would allow security officials to hide behind the guise of national security, putting the interests of those in power above the truth. This can't be allowed to happen - transparency and accountability are the backbone of any functioning society. We need strong laws that ensure public officials come clean about their role in major disasters, not ones that give them a free pass to hide behind vague claims. 
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... like, remember when we were all still young and had hope that the government would get it right? 
), just shows us that we're still a long way off from having real transparency and accountability.
It's like they're more concerned with national security than actual justice.
I'm pretty sure 96 people didn't exactly have a "need-to-know" about the cops' shenanigans. Seriously though, it's all about keeping those in power accountable and making sure we don't repeat history. The mayors are right on point here – let's get that amendment dropped like a bad habit! 
The current draft is basically giving security officials a free pass to hide behind vague claims of national security 
. If there are serious failures and cover-ups, the public will be left wondering what really went down 
. The government is already seen as being tone-deaf on this issue; adding an amendment that makes it even harder for us to get answers is just a huge mistake 
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. Families and campaigners have been fighting for transparency and accountability for decades; we can't let the government sweep this under the rug 
.