Families who have lost loved ones are calling on government officials to fully implement the Hillsborough law, according to a recent report. The justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds were present at a “family listening day” event funded by the Ministry of Justice and organized by the group Inquest.
The report from the listening day, titled “All or Nothing,” reflects the strong desire of attendees for the government to uphold its commitment to prevent future cover-ups by establishing a legally enforceable “duty of candour” for public authorities. Despite Labour’s manifesto promise to introduce the Hillsborough law, there have been revisions to the key proposals, leading to a delay in bringing the legislation before parliament by the 36th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster on April 15.
The proposed law was initially drafted by Hillsborough families’ barrister Pete Weatherby KC and first presented at Westminster by Andy Burnham in 2017, with Keir Starmer vowing to introduce it during various speeches. Attendance at the listening day included individuals affected by the Hillsborough disaster, the Post Office scandal, infected blood cases, the Windrush scandal, and the Grenfell fire, all advocating for rigorous enforcement of the duty of candour and equal legal representation funding at inquests and inquiries.
Amid concerns over the government’s revised draft law, which lacks strong legal enforcement mechanisms and funding for legal representation, families have expressed disappointment and frustration. However, officials have reassured families of their commitment to incorporating a legal duty of candour and criminal sanctions for those who fail to comply. Despite the setback, advocates like Margaret Aspinall, who lost her son at Hillsborough, and Deborah Coles from Inquest are determined to ensure the full implementation of the Hillsborough law without compromise
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