Latest news with #HillsboroughLaw
Sky News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Starmer warned over fears of 'toothless' Hillsborough Law replacement
Why you can trust Sky News More than 130 MPs have urged Sir Keir Starmer to deliver the Hillsborough Law as promised - amid claims it is being watered-down with a "toothless" replacement. Ian Byrne, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, has written to the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, over concerns that officials have "carved out" key elements of the long-awaited legislation. The Hillsborough Law is intended to prevent future state cover-ups by putting a legal duty of candour on public servants to tell the truth, with criminal sanctions for lying. It also includes a commitment to funding so families receive proportional legal representation in battles with official bodies. The bill had its first reading in 2017 when it was introduced by Andy Burnham and supported by Steve Rotheram who were MPs at the time. In his letter, Mr Byrne said a draft government version of the law, shown to the now Great Manchester and Liverpool City Region mayors respectively and one of the campaign's lawyers in March, did not contain the key provisions. In particular, he said it did not contain a duty of candour, only an "aspirational objective". He said there was also "no reference at all" to the rebalancing of resources for legal representation for families at inquests and inquiries. As Sky News reported at the time, the government paused the process to listen to these concerns, meaning it missed its own deadline to implement the law by the most recent anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster on 15 April. However campaigners have not been shown the latest draft and say meetings with ministers and officials have indicated the Hillsborough Law is still to be replaced with weaker legislation. 'Legally nothing left' In particular, there are concerns the obligation to be truthful would be applied only to some investigations and could even be reduced to a professional duty dealt with by codes or staff handbooks rather than a criminal backstop. A government spokesperson said they are "fully committed" to a legal duty of candour with criminal sanctions for those who don't comply. However Elkan Abrahamson, one of the lawyers who drafted the original Hillsborough Law, told Sky News: "It's easy to talk about commitment but until we see something in writing... we don't know what that means." He said that under the government's proposals there would "legally be nothing left" of the original bill, adding: "My message to them is rip up your draft, go back to ours and tell us what the problem is and we will sort it with you." The government declined to say what its concerns are with the Hillsborough Law when asked by Sky News. It has said it wants to bring the legislation in "at pace" but "having consulted with campaign groups, we know more time is needed to draft the best version of a Hillsborough Law". 1:36 At the Labour Party conference in Liverpool in 2022 when he was still in opposition, Sir Keir said that "one of his first" acts as prime minister if he won the election would be "to put the Hillsborough Law on the statute book". The Times has reported officials have concerns that the Hillsborough Law could punish junior civil servants who turn up late for work and lie about it. But in his letter, signed by 136 cross-party MPs and 29 peers, Mr Byrne said "that is manifestly not correct". He added: "We have no doubt that the attempts to replace the bill with wholly deficient and ineffective redrafts are led by those who are most likely to be affected by the Hillsborough Law: senior civil servants and public institutions who want to retain their impunity in protecting their reputations above telling the truth." 'Toothless replacement' He called on the prime minister to "show leadership and strength" in implementing the Hillsborough Law in full "and not some toothless replacement". "We urge you not to pass up this opportunity to achieve generational culture change, and a step change in the integrity of public life." The campaign for the Hillsborough Law follows a decades-long fight for justice for the 97 football fans who were unlawfully killed after gross negligence by police at an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield in 1989. Shortly before kick-off, supporters were let through a gate, which caused crowding in the stand and a crush. Nobody has ever been convicted for its subsequent cover-up.
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'Keir Starmer caved again - so who's in charge of Britain?'
There is a knack to reversing ferrets, and Keir Starmer hasn't got it. Having sent almost 4million disabled people into a tailspin, he chewed through a 165-seat majority to provoke his party into its biggest rebellion for years. He insisted he wasn't caving even as he strapped on a headtorch and flippers, and then caved only halfway. He's suffered a massive loss of personal political power, and guaranteed future rebellions to undermine him even further. Here's how the Prime Minister's team ought to have done it: 1) Don't cut the means which disabled people use to get into work and society in the first place, you gonks. 2) Pay attention to the first rumblings. Is it coming from the actual ground you're standing on? 3) Look bendier, earlier. 4) Don't save face - earns points for honesty and humility. Faced with rebellion, Keir should have swept the entire benefits bill off the table a week ago, make like he was knocking Cabinet heads together, and bring it back in a month with concessions. Instead he looks indecisive, malleable, and his credibility has been holed below the waterline. Again. But the story being told about Starmer is not how he really is. When he's acted instinctively and relied on his judgement it's worked well - the rapid courts crackdown after the Southport riots, the firm-but-friendly dealing with Donald Trump, the trade deals. Statesmanship appears to be something he can do, and do well. It's the stuff he delegates that trips him up. Rachel Reeves was persuaded by Treasury officials to cut the winter fuel payment, and he didn't overrule her. Liz Kendall came up with the benefits reforms, and the son of a toolmaker and a chronically-disabled woman didn't say "'do what, now?" Now the Hillsborough Law he's promised four times and already delayed once is on-course to expose him to fresh allegations of incompetence. This piece of anti-scandal legislation was always intended to make it illegal for a public official to lie, as they have done in courts, to ministers, and at inquests and inquiries over the 1989 football disaster, infected blood, the Post Office scandal and dozens more. It protects junior staff who get ordered to lie by superiors, as happened when senior officers told constables to rewrite their pocket books to cover-up police failures at Hillsborough. Introducing such a law is a legacy that will save the state billions in compensation, and forever mark the PM that did it as a moral crusader. It is, unarguably, A Good Thing All Round. And senior civil servants in Whitehall hate it. They claim it's unworkable and they'll get arrested for taking the paperclips home. Seeing as the families' draft of the bill states the criminality only kicks in for "court proceedings, official inquiries and investigations where their acts or omissions may be relevant", it's a reach. Yet ministers and SpAds have taken it as gospel, and told the families the bill must be watered down so it applies only when giving evidence under oath. But here's the thing: there is no middle ground. You either tell the truth, or you don't. Officials have told campaigners: "We f***ed up... we should never have promised the families what they wanted." Which is the same as saying that Starmer f***ed up, by making the promise to grieving mothers, by stating it in his conference speeches, and putting it in his election manifesto. As one person with knowledge of the process told me: "Putting politics aside, this Government is showing awesome ineptitude. It could be an easy win for Starmer but his team seems determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.' There is no clearer way to indicate the Prime Minister isn't driving the train, than his underlings telling people he's consistently wrong. If the officials succeed in destroying the central requirement of legislation the PM has ordained, he might as well take to his bed for the next four years and have done with it. There is one glimmer of hope: when it comes to choosing between his power base and the demands of officials, Starmer bends the knee to his backbenchers. More than 120 Labour MPs signed the amendment which undermined the PIP cut s - more than 140 have already signed a letter demanding he deliver the Hillsborough Law he promised. If a corrupted, asinine version of the legislation gets before Parliament, the rebellion will be greater. Party conference in Liverpool will be torture. Activists, councillors, MPs and peers will unite to rise up against a leader they will see as the man who trampled the dead. "It will be war," one Labour insider told me. "It will make the PIP rebellion look like a pat on the back." The PM has yet to realise he's landed a job running a fudge factory, and nothing will ever be neat and tidy. But his party contains more functioning eyes, ears, and political antennae than Downing Street does, and a year in, they are flexing their muscles. This summer Starmer will be asked to show who's in charge of Britain - his MPs, the Whitehall officials, or the man he can be, when and if he tries.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Keir Starmer given Hillsborough Law warning by MPs - 'don't betray families'
Dozens of MPs and peers have written to Keir Starmer to warn that the Hillsborough Law being drawn up is 'likely to fall far short of what was promised to the families' Nearly 140 MPs have urged Keir Starmer not to betray families with a "toothless replacement" for the Hillsborough Law. Dozens of MPs and peers have warned the legislation is "likely to fall far short of what was promised to the families". Mr Starmer has repeatedly vowed to introduce the Hillsborough Law - at party conferences, in Labour's manifesto and in conversations with families affected by the 1989 football disaster. But the Prime Minister failed to bring it forward before the anniversary of the tragedy in April - despite a commitment to do so in September 2024. Now families fear their loved ones will never get the legacy he pledged. Some 138 MPs and 29 peers from 10 political parties have called on the PM to drive through the bill "as you promised to do, and not some toothless replacement". In a letter to the PM, they said: "We have no doubt that the attempts to replace the Bill with wholly deficient and ineffective redrafts are led by those who are most likely to be affected by Hillsborough Law: senior civil servants and public institutions who want to retain their impunity in protecting their reputations above telling the truth. "A replacement bill - without the key provisions outlined above - will not command the support of Hillsborough families and survivors, nor other victims of state cover-ups." The original Hillsborough Law, drawn up by legal experts and presented to Parliament in 2017, was designed to ensure justice would never again be blocked by public officials trying to conceal wrongdoing. It would create a legal duty of candour for public authorities and officials, such as police officers, with criminal penalties for lying or withholding information. It also included a commitment to funding to help victims in legal battles with official bodies. The move has been backed by survivors of other state injustices, such as the infected blood scandal, the nuclear test veterans and the Post Office scandal. But progress stalled amid concerns in Government over the legal funding and whether the duty of candour is workable - something campaigners reject. One campaigner told the Mirror that officials had told them they made a mistake calling it a Hillsborough Law, and admitted "we should never have promised the families what they wanted". Another added: 'Putting politics aside, this Government is showing awesome ineptitude. It could be an easy win for Starmer but his team seems determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.' Campaigners have not been shown the latest draft of the bill, and say they've been told it will no longer be referred to as 'the Hillsborough Law'. The new version is expected to be laid in Parliament before the Labour's annual conference in Liverpool in September. It is expected to give public officials a duty to tell the truth only at inquests or court cases, when they are already at risk of perjury. Sources say there is 'a huge carve-out for the military and security services', raising questions over its ability to prevent scandals like MI5's failures over the Manchester Arena bombings, and the Ministry of Defence 's cover-up of the Nuked Blood Scandal. Labour MP Ian Byrne, a Hillsborough survivor who represents Liverpool West Derby, who coordinated the letter, said: "If the Prime Minister doesn't enact the Hillsborough Law in full, it will be seen as another betrayal of Hillsborough families, survivors and victims of other state cover-ups.' Pete Weatherby KC, co-author of the original law who represented 22 of the families at the Hillsborough inquest, said: "The Prime Minister must now show leadership and deliver on his promise to deliver real cultural change, not a chocolate fireguard to protect the interests of those who want to remain free to lie and hide official wrongdoing.' Co-author Elkan Abrahamson, who represented 20 families during the Hillsborough inquests, said: 'The Hillsborough families are rightly angry at the way the Government has let them down. We stand with them and the many other campaign groups who will not give up the fight until the Hillsborough Law is enacted in full.' A spokesman for the campaign group Hillsborough Law Now said: 'We cannot support what we have not seen, and what we have seen was not supportable.' A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'The Hillsborough disaster is one of the greatest stains on British history, and the families of those who lost loved ones have shown endless determination to get justice. 'Having consulted with campaign groups, we know more time is needed to draft the best version of a Hillsborough Law. We remain fully committed to bringing in this legislation at pace, which will include a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Weakened Hillsborough Law would not get family support, says MP
A Liverpool MP has said introducing a weakened Hillsborough Law without the requirement for public officials to tell the truth at major inquiries would be a "mistake" and "fall far short of what was promised". Labour's Ian Byrne has written to Sir Keir Starmer to demand a "duty of candour" obligation was not dropped amid fears it had been removed from a draft version of the prime minister had pledged to introduce the law by April for the 36th anniversary of the 1989 disaster, but the deadline was missed. A government spokesperson said, having consulted with campaign groups, it knew "more time" was needed to draft the "best version of a Hillsborough Law". Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told MPs last week the government remained committed to the bill and the "focus is on getting the legislation right".Proposals for the law include a legal responsibility for public servants to tell the truth, and to provide legal funding to those affected by state-related he became prime minister last year, Sir Keir Starmer said: "one of my first acts would be to bring in a Hillsborough Law - a duty of candour". He previously said while Labour leader that the law would help prevent cover-ups like the infected blood and Post Office scandals. In his letter to the prime minister, Byrne said a draft version of the bill shown to lawyers in March did not include any of these key pledges."In particular it did not contain a duty of candour, merely an aspirational objective," he said a bill without this "will not command the support of Hillsborough families, nor other victims of state cover-ups".Byrne, who represents Liverpool West Derby, said there were also concerns the obligation to be truthful would be "applied only to some investigations" and some public bodies could be exempt. Hillsborough disaster Ninety-seven fans died as a result of a crush at an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium in 2016, an inquest jury found that Liverpool fans were not to blame for what happened and those who died were unlawfully blamed police failures, stadium design defects and a delayed response by the ambulance 2021, the South Yorkshire and West Midlands police forces agreed to pay damages to more than 600 people over a cover-up which followed the forces apologised for "profound failings", saying they had "got it badly wrong". Byrne said attempts to replace the bill with "wholly deficient and ineffective redrafts are led by those who are most likely to be affected. "Senior civil servants and public institutions who want to retain their impunity in protecting their reputations above telling the truth."He called on the prime minister "not to pass up this opportunity to achieve generational culture change".Liam Robertson, Labour leader of Liverpool City Council, told BBC Politics North West on Sunday: "The government has to get this right, we all have to get this right and that's why it has to be the Hillsborough Law in full, as supported by the Hillsborough families."A government spokesperson said the Hillsborough disaster was "one of the greatest stains on British history"."The families of those who lost loved ones have shown endless determination to get justice," they said."We remain fully committed to bringing in this legislation at pace, which will include a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
ITV News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Campaigners raise concerns over delays to the Hillsborough Law
ITV Granada's political correspondent Lise McNally looks into concerns surrounding the Hillsborough Law. Campaigners fear the proposed Hillsborough Law aimed at combatting establishment cover-ups is in danger of being watered Government promised to pass the law before the latest anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster in April but there is still no sign of it coming before Parliament. Those who support the Bill say it is about much more than the legacy of Hillsborough - they say it's to protect all victims of avoidable harm, like the Infected Blood and Post Office scandals, Grenfell and grooming gangs. Campaigners say to be a true legacy for the '97, the Hillsborough law must contain three basic principles, to protect the public if they're caught up in any disasters where the state could try to cover up its mistakes. Duty of Candour - This would compel public bodies and their employees to tell the truth in any inquiry and actively provide evidence and assistance. Criminal Sanctions - Those found to have lied about wrongdoing must face criminal sanctions. Parity of Funding - Bereaved families should be given parity of funding, so they can afford the same quality of lawyers as the public authorities they need to challenge. It is believed that how these could work in practice have caused disagreements and delays in Whitehall. The MP for Liverpool West Derby Ian Byrne fears the Hillsborough Law will be watered down. The MP for Liverpool West Derby Ian Byrne was at Hillsborough on the day of the disaster. He is very worried that when the law finally does appear - it won't go far enough. "It's going to be a piece of legislation which changes the culture of cover ups and changes the very fabric within this country. "We cannot allow a continuation of the betrayal of the Hillsborough families and survivors in my city, if this isn't delivered." Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall told the Prime Minister to "do the right thing." Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall lost her son James in the disaster, she says any watering down of the law would be a disgrace. "We had to go campaigning to raise funds as well, trying to get over your loss. "You'll never get over that. We can't bring them back. "But to deal with the media, to campaign for funding, to beg for the release of all documentation, and not get it. We had all that to face. "Do I want other people, the ordinary people to face that ever again? No. Things have got to change. "So if we can do anything to change that system, my jobs is done. That is my job completely finished. "I thought it was finished at the second inquest, if we got accountability, never realised, my job is still not done. "And I've told Mr Starmer, it won't be done and I will never rest in peace until we have Hillsborough in all its entirety, for the good of this nation." Today the Deputy Prime Minister claimed the government 'remains fully committed' to introducing a Hillsborough Law with work 'at pace' to get it right. During Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon, Deputy PM Angela Rayner, said legislation would be brought forward 'as soon as we're confident they will deliver the justice victims deserve.' She was questioned on the delay by Anneliese Midgley, Labour MP for Knowsley. She said: ''Last Saturday marked eight years since Grenfell, eight years fighting for justice. The Hillsborough families, including Margaret Aspinall, from Huyton, have campaigned for 36 years for the Hillsborough law, decades. 'Can the Deputy Prime Minister tell me today will this Labour government bring forward the Hillsborough law without delay? Will it honour promises made to victims of state cover-ups and will it finally deliver justice for the 97?' Ms Rayner said: 'I thank my honourable friend for her question and the work with campaigners like Margaret in their fight for justice. We remain fully committed to bringing a Hillsborough Law. 'The state has failed victims and their families too many times in the past and that is precisely why our focus is on getting the legislation right. "I can assure her measures will be brought forward as soon as we're confident they will deliver the justice victims deserve and we want to do this at pace.' Until the legislation is laid down before Parliament, the legacy of the Hillsborough disaster remains up in the air.
