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The mayors of Liverpool and Manchester have expressed strong opposition to a recent amendment proposed to the Hillsborough law, urging its withdrawal on the grounds that it fails to adequately guard against potential future cover-ups. Steve Rotheram, the mayor of the Liverpool city region, alongside Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, criticized the amendment for creating an excessively broad exemption. This change would allow intelligence agencies to determine what information can be shared with investigators following significant incidents, a move they fear would undermine transparency.
Concerns about the draft legislation, formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, have been voiced by Hillsborough campaigners prior to its scheduled debate. These critics warn that the amendment could potentially enable security agencies to conceal serious failings under ambiguous claims related to national security. Both Rotheram and Burnham underscored the risk this poses to the original intent of the legislation, stating that they would never support any measure that compromises national safety, given their firsthand experience of tragic events in their regions.
In a joint statement published on the social media platform X, the mayors highlighted the importance of rapid truth-finding following incidents as integral to strengthening national defenses. They argued that, if crafted correctly, the Hillsborough law could foster an ethos of accountability across public services. However, as it currently stands, they believe the government’s proposed amendment threatens to weaken the legislation’s purpose by granting too wide an opt-out to the security services. They appealed to the government to retract the amendment before the parliamentary debate and encouraged dialogue with victims’ families and campaign groups to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
The origins of the Hillsborough law trace back to 2016, following a second inquest into the deaths of 96 Liverpool football fans—later updated to 97—who tragically lost their lives at the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster during an FA Cup semi-final match. The catastrophe was primarily caused by gross mismanagement of crowd control by South Yorkshire police, leading to the worst sporting tragedy in British history. The tragedy was deepened by false accusations blaming Liverpool supporters for the disaster, perpetuated through misinformation released by the police.
Legal representatives for the Hillsborough Law Now campaign, including lawyer Elkan Abrahamson, have criticized the amendment for allowing intelligence service heads to unilaterally decide on the disclosure of information, with no possibility of challenge. Abrahamson asserted that determining the relevance of evidence should rest with the leaders of inquiries, pointing out that existing national security provisions already permit sensitive information to be handled privately when necessary.
Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne has introduced several amendments aimed at ensuring the duty of candor applies not only to the intelligence agencies themselves but also to all individuals working within them. Reflecting on the current state of the legislation, Byrne expressed deep disappointment and announced he could not support the bill as it stands. He reaffirmed his commitment to achieving a Hillsborough law without exemptions or loopholes, emphasizing that the government’s proposed changes would prevent the bill from fulfilling that promise
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