Starmer to push Hillsborough law through in final week as PM

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is poised to push the Hillsborough law through its final parliamentary stages in his last week in office, aiming to fulfill a key Labour manifesto commitment. The legislation intends to bolster support for families pursuing justice after major disasters and introduce new offenses for officials who deliberately mislead or obstruct accountability.

The bill faced significant delays after disputes arose between ministers and campaigners regarding its application to intelligence services. Concerns from MI5, MI6, and GCHQ about the potential impact on national security operations and covert officers led to the postponement of the bill's Commons stages earlier this year. Campaigners and bereaved families feared the legislation, officially the public office (accountability) bill, might be indefinitely shelved.

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families should never again have to fight the state to uncover the truth.

The law is named after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, where 97 Liverpool supporters died. A landmark inquest in 2016 found the deaths were unlawful, refuting earlier claims that fan behavior played a role. The protracted fight for justice by the families exposed systemic failings by public bodies, notably South Yorkshire police.

Initial proposals to allow intelligence chiefs to determine information disclosure in national security cases sparked backlash from Hillsborough families and Labour MPs, who argued it would undermine the law's purpose. Although the government later dropped this amendment, discussions continued on protecting sensitive intelligence while maintaining the bill's broader scope. Confusion resurfaced last week when Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy expressed confidence the bill would return soon, contradicting other government figures who suggested a post-summer recess return. However, parliamentary business has now scheduled the bill's remaining Commons stages for Tuesday, enabling its potential approval before moving to the House of Lords.

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confident that the draft legislation would be back “in the coming days”.