Prime Minister Keir Starmer's commitment to enact a landmark Hillsborough Law has been thrown into turmoil following a fierce political backlash. The proposed legislation, a cornerstone of Labour's manifesto, is designed to force public officials to tell the truth in inquiries, but a last-minute amendment concerning intelligence agencies has sparked accusations of a government U-turn and betrayal.
The Core Promise of the Hillsborough Law
The Public Authority (Accountability) Bill, widely known as the Hillsborough Law, was born from the decades-long fight for justice by the families of the 97 Liverpool fans unlawfully killed in the 1989 stadium disaster. The law seeks to prevent future cover-ups by imposing a legal "duty of candour" on public bodies and officials, including the police and NHS.
Under its provisions, those who lie, withhold, or tamper with evidence during official investigations would face criminal prosecution and potential prison sentences. For the families, and for Starmer who placed the law at the heart of his conference speech, it represents a crucial tool to ensure "injustice has no place to hide."
The Controversial Amendment and Swift Retreat
The crisis erupted last week when the government tabled a new amendment to the bill. This change aimed to bring intelligence agencies like MI5 and MI6 within the law's scope, but with a critical caveat: disclosure would be subject to approval by the chiefs of those services.
Campaigners and Labour MPs immediately condemned the clause, arguing it gave spies a veto over what information they must reveal, thereby potentially enabling the very culture of secrecy the law was meant to dismantle. Facing a furious revolt from his own backbenchers, metro mayors, and the Hillsborough families, Starmer's government performed a rapid U-turn, pulling the amendment late on Sunday.
Political Damage and What Comes Next
The episode is deeply damaging for the Prime Minister. Having personally championed the law and introduced by bereaved mother Margaret Aspinall at the Labour conference, any perception of weakening the bill is politically toxic. Liverpool Wavertree MP Paula Barker warned it would feel like the "ultimate betrayal" to her city.
With the bill due to enter its penultimate Commons stage, the government has promised further talks with campaigners. The campaign group Hillsborough Law Now called the pause "frustrating" but a chance to be heard. The path forward is now critical: ministers must find a version that retains the law's teeth without losing the support of those for whom it was created.
