The progress of a landmark piece of legislation aimed at preventing state cover-ups has been halted, sparking renewed anguish for families of major national tragedies. The proposed Hillsborough Law, which would impose a legal duty of candour on public officials, has been delayed after concerns were raised that it did not adequately cover the intelligence agencies.
Key Legislation Postponed Amid Accountability Fears
The remaining parliamentary stages of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, widely known as the Hillsborough Law, have been postponed from Wednesday until next Monday. Downing Street confirmed the delay, citing issues with how the Bill applied to individual employees of organisations like MI5, MI6, and GCHQ. The legislation, born from a decades-long fight for justice by the families of the 97 Liverpool fans who died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, seeks to create criminal penalties for public officials who lie or withhold information.
Campaigners have warned the Prime Minister that the law must include all public services without exception. A spokesman for the Hillsborough Law Now campaign stated that while the delay is welcome if used to fix flaws, families "cannot accept a law that allows the heads of the security services to hide serious failures behind a vague claim of national security."
Families' Heartbreak and Demand for Truth
The delay comes as families bereaved by the Hillsborough disaster and the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack prepare to meet Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. For them, the inclusion of intelligence services is non-negotiable.
Caroline Curry, whose 19-year-old son Liam was killed alongside his girlfriend Chloe Rutherford, 17, in the Manchester bombing, gave a powerful testimony. "Hillsborough Law must happen in its entirety, it must include every service, no exceptions," she said. Ms Curry described the ongoing "torture" of losing a child, stating that knowing the attack "could and should have been prevented but for the failures of MI5 is shameful enough."
She revealed the further devastation of learning from the public inquiry chairman, Sir John Saunders, that MI5 had not told the truth in open court. "They fudged the truth, blurred the lines to cover up their own incompetence," she said.
Government's Stance and the Path Forward
The government has stated its commitment to the law while emphasising national security. A Prime Minister's spokesman said the legislation "will change the balance of power in Britain" and put a legal duty on officials, including those in intelligence, to respond openly when things go wrong.
"We've worked with the families to make this duty as strong as it can possibly be whilst never compromising on national security," the spokesman added. The government introduced amendments last Friday to address the concerns about coverage of intelligence agency employees and stated it is "determined to get this right."
The campaign for the Hillsborough Law is supported by victims of other profound injustices, including the Grenfell Tower fire and the infected blood scandal. Their collective message is clear: after years of promises, the time for a robust and universal legal duty of candour is now, with no room for exemptions that could perpetuate a culture of secrecy and denial.
