Hillsborough survivors say new law has to pass this one test...
Yesterday the Prime Minister confirmed that the Government would bring forward a Hillsborough Law by the time of the next anniversary
Hillsborough survivors and families of those who lost their lives in the disaster say a new Hillsborough Law will have to 'pass the test' to gain their support.
It follows the Prime Minister's speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, where he confirmed that the Government would bring forward a Hillsborough Law by the time of the next anniversary of the 1989 football stadium disaster in April.
It would introduce a legal duty of candour on public bodies, with the potential for criminal sanctions for officials or organisations which mislead or obstruct investigations.
Alongside the promised law, the Government has begun the process of recruiting the first independent public advocate (IPA).
The IPA will be sent to the scene of any future public disaster, playing a pivotal role in ensuring victims, survivors, and bereaved families get the information and support they need.
The advocate is expected to be in post by next summer and will inform victims about sources of support, advice and services available to them.
The role will also help victims understand actions taken by public authorities in relation to the incident, including how to navigate inquiries, inquests and other formal processes that may follow a public disaster.
Responding to Sir Keir Starmer's speech, the Hillsborough Survivors association released the following statement:
'The HSA welcomes today's commitment from Prime Minister Starmer to introduce a Hillsborough Law that will include a much needed duty of candour.
'More than 35 years ago. after unlawfully killing 97 innocent fans, police officers from South Yorkshire, starting with but not limited to David Duckenfield, lied that fans had broken into the stadium.
'They went on to repeatedly lie about ticketless and drunken fans and even claimed fans had pickpocketed from dead bodies. Yet not one police officer was held to account for those despicable lies, which were all comprehensively rejected by a jury at the Warrington inquests.
'We believe that to be effective the proposed legislation must have teeth and for our members there is a simple test. Would the proposed laws (had they been in place) have resulted in criminal charges against those who took an active part in the Hillsborough cover up?
'We include all those who allowed their statements to be changed, who lied at inquests and inquiries, who fed lies to the press and those who misled Lord Justice Taylor, the public and the inquests.
'These are the people who created a cover up, who fed it first to the press, then to Taylor, to politicians and to legal inquests.
'The need for a new law is clear. But we will not support anything that does not meet our stated test: that those who took part in the Hillsborough cover up should have faced trial for their lies. We believe the cover up over Hillsborough was a miscarriage of justice and only robust laws can prevent a repeat of this.
'We stand in union with all Hillsborough Law campaigners from many justice campaigns and we thank them all for their support to change the law and to change the culture of cover ups.
'Our final word is for all the South Yorkshire officers who took to the witness stands to repeat their false narrative.
'We have always known the truth because we were there. The world discovered that truth when a jury rejected your lies. And now the UK government is changing the law as a direct result of your despicable actions.
'That will be your legacy. You were so corrupt that they had to change the law.
'Justice for the 97'