Hillsborough Law finally introduced to parliament

The long-awaited introduction of a so-called Hillsborough Law has been hailed as a victory by campaigners who warned it must not be watered down. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill will be introduced to parliament today to begin the journey towards becoming law.

- AINE FOX

Sir Keir Starmer had previously pledged to bring in the law by the 36th anniversary of the tragedy, which was on 15 April, but Downing Street then said more time was needed to redraft it.

Some campaigners had raised fears the bill's contents had been diluted and would not include a legal duty of candour. But the government has confirmed a new professional and legal duty of candour will be part of the bill, meaning public officials must act with honesty and integrity at all times and could face criminal sanctions if they breach it.

Margaret Aspinall, whose son James, 18, died at Hillsborough, said she is hopeful the new law "will mean no one will ever have to suffer like we did".

The disaster in 1989 led to the deaths of 97 football fans during the FA Cup semifinal between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the football ground in Sheffield.

The government said the new legislation will “end the culture of cover-ups” and learn lessons from wider disasters including the Grenfell Tower fire and the Post Office Horizon and infected blood scandals.

A spokesperson for the Hillsborough Law Now campaign warned the bill must not be weakened during its passage through parliament and called on the government to “be brave and ignore the vested interests” of those who might attempt to water it down.