Campaigners say the Home Secretary is blocking progress on the long-promised legislation, which would create a legal duty for public authorities to tell the truth to inquiries.
For more than thirty years, the families of those who died in the Hillsborough disaster have campaigned for legal protections to prevent public cover-ups. The "Hillsborough Law," which was promised by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, aims to ensure transparency and accountability. However, the legislation is now set to miss its expected parliamentary deadline.
Campaigners have expressed frustration with the current process, noting that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has reportedly been unwilling to engage directly with the affected families in recent weeks. The families are also opposing a proposed government amendment, which they argue is designed to allow security services to mislead inquiries.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father, Jimmy, died in the 1989 disaster, stated that she feels the Home Secretary has been obstructive and unwilling to address the families directly. Her sentiments were echoed by Liverpool MP Ian Byrne, who also attended the Hillsborough memorial. Byrne emphasized that he shares significant concerns about the delay and has called for urgent discussions involving campaigners, lawyers, and ministers to resolve the outstanding issues. Government ministers have not met with victim representatives since January, following a debate over the bill's application to security services.
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones addressed the issue in Parliament, noting the government's intention to strengthen the bill by extending the duty to individual employees of the intelligence services, as well as to the services as organizations. However, she acknowledged the significant concerns regarding how these proposed safeguards would function in practice.
"It is clear from our conversations with the families directly and the stakeholders that there are concerns about how the accompanying safeguards we proposed will work in practice," Davies-Jones stated. She highlighted the complexity of the policy area, noting that the government must carefully consider all possible scenarios and unintended consequences for national security while working with Parliament, the Intelligence and Security Committee, campaigners, and the families to find a way forward.
The proposed legislation would create a duty for public authorities to cooperate fully with official inquiries and provide truthful evidence. While the government has stressed that national security must not be compromised, it has opted to delay the bill to ensure the drafting is correct.
Despite the delay, officials have confirmed that the bill is expected to be carried over to the next parliamentary session. For the families involved, the pursuit of this legislation remains about accountability, truth, and ensuring that the tragedy of Hillsborough is never repeated.
