Grieving Families Demand Action: Hillsborough Law Still Unfulfilled
Families of Hillsborough disaster victims accuse Keir Starmer and the government of an 'insult' for failing to introduce the promised Hillsborough law in this parliamentary session.
Grieving families whose relatives were killed in disasters and who have suffered state injustice have written to Keir Starmer, accusing the government of an "insult" for failing to introduce the promised Hillsborough law in this session of parliament.
Labour has promised for almost a decade to implement the law, which will impose a "duty of candour" on the police and public authorities, but the government pulled the bill in January during its passage through parliament.
Government sources said a new amendment to the bill is being worked on that would ensure the duty of candour applies to individuals working for security services. However, campaigners argue this does not go far enough, as the law was originally intended to hold all public authorities accountable for their actions.
The Hillsborough disaster was a tragic event that occurred in 1989 during an FA Cup semi-final match at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, England. Overcrowding in the stadium led to the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans, and the subsequent cover-up and lack of accountability by the authorities fueled decades of grief and outrage for the victims' families.
In their letter to Starmer, the families state: "The government's failure to introduce the Hillsborough Law in this session of parliament is an insult to us all. This law was promised to give us a voice and hold the authorities to account. We call on you to make good on Labour's pledge and ensure this critical legislation is enacted without further delay."
The Hillsborough law was first proposed in 2016 by former shadow home secretary Andy Burnham, who said it would help to "rebalance the scales of justice" and ensure that public bodies and officials are legally required to be open and honest after major incidents.
Despite the government's efforts to amend the bill, campaigners argue that the original intent of the law has been diluted. They maintain that the duty of candour should apply to all public authorities, not just security services, in order to truly hold those in power accountable.
As the families continue to fight for justice and transparency, the delay in implementing the Hillsborough law has only added to their pain and sense of betrayal by the very institutions meant to serve and protect them. The government's actions, or lack thereof, have been seen as an "insult" to the memory of the 96 victims and the ongoing struggle for accountability.
,Source: The Guardian
