The long-delayed legislation to establish a Hillsborough Law is expected to be approved by MPs next week, following a government announcement that the bill could return to Parliament before the summer recess. Officially named the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, the legislation is on track to pass through the House of Commons on Tuesday, clearing the path for it to become law by the autumn.
Downing Street had previously paused the bill's progress in January due to disagreements over whether intelligence agencies should be bound by a proposed legal “duty of candour” for public bodies and officials.
The government had initially proposed an amendment that would allow intelligence chiefs to opt out of cooperating with public inquiries if they believed giving evidence would pose a national security risk.
However, families and campaigners strongly opposed this exemption, pointing to the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing where MI5 was accused of misleading the inquiry.
According to a government source, ministers have now agreed to a new amendment that campaigners say completely removes any opt-outs or exemptions for the intelligence services. Pete Weatherby KC, director of Hillsborough Law Now, confirmed the development, stating that the government has finally accepted there will be no carve-outs.
He added that all relevant ministers have personally signed off on these landmark changes to public accountability, which aim to end official cover-ups.
The push for the law stems from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 97 lives were lost during a crush at an FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's football ground. In the aftermath, police officers spread false narratives blaming Liverpool fans and withheld evidence of their own institutional failures.
Fresh inquests in 2016 subsequently ruled that the fans had been unlawfully killed and that police actions had caused or contributed to their deaths.
Once enacted, the Hillsborough Law will legally oblige public officials to tell the truth during investigations and inquiries. The Hillsborough Memorial at Liverpool's Anfield ground where fans left tributes stands as a permanent reminder of the tragedy.
Hillsborough survivor Ian Byrne MP, who has spearheaded the parliamentary campaign for the legislation, expressed his immense relief. He told the BBC that he was absolutely delighted to have finally secured the law, calling it a lasting legacy for the 97 victims, the survivors, the bereaved families, and everyone who has suffered state-sponsored injustice.
"It's a legacy to all those who never gave up in their fight for truth, justice and accountability," he added.
Sources close to the negotiations indicated that Andy Burnham, described as the likely next prime minister and a long-term supporter of the Hillsborough families, played a key role in persuading ministers to let the bill proceed without the controversial opt-outs.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was also reportedly determined to secure an agreement before leaving office, having made a personal promise to relatives of the victims that he would implement the law during his premiership.
Campaigner Jenni Hicks, whose teenage daughters Sarah, 19, and Victoria, 15, died in the crush, expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister. She shared that she had asked Starmer to make this his prime ministerial legacy to ensure accountability for all victims of state wrongdoing.
"I'd like to thank Keir Starmer for finally listening and doing the right thing, which is long overdue," she said.
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father James was among the 97 victims, also received a personal promise from Starmer and thanked both him and Andy Burnham for working together to get the bill back on track.
Alex Davies-Jones MP, who oversaw the government's work on the legislation before resigning as victims minister in May, remarked that the bill had faced an unnecessary uphill battle. She emphasized that while it is long overdue, its final royal assent will fundamentally transform how the public and victims are treated, centering on honesty, accountability, respect, and justice.
A government source echoed this sentiment, calling the agreement an overwhelming victory that will shift the balance of power so the state can never hide from the people it is meant to serve.
