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The progression of a new piece of legislation aimed at preventing cover-ups has been temporarily postponed following concerns from Members of Parliament regarding whether the law would be fully applicable to security agencies. Last week, relatives of those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack appealed directly to the prime minister, urging him to ensure that the so-called Hillsborough Law would extend its provisions to individual personnel within MI5, MI6, and GCHQ.
Originally, the bill’s third reading was planned for Wednesday, but the government has now announced that the remaining stages will be conducted next Monday. This delay is intended to provide extra time for considering possible amendments. A government insider revealed to the BBC that this postponement allows additional “tweaking” of the legislation in response to issues raised by various MPs.
A spokesperson for the prime minister emphasized on Tuesday that the government is committed to safeguarding the UK’s national security and protecting lives, stating, “This government will not bring forward legislation that would put the national security of the UK or lives at risk.” The spokesperson also highlighted that on Friday, a series of amendments were introduced to address concerns about the bill’s applicability to individual intelligence officers, affirming the government’s desire to “get this right.” Number 10 further added that it will “continue to listen to stakeholders on all sides of the debate to make sure the bill strikes the careful balance that is required.” The delay reportedly stems from increasing apprehension among MPs across party lines.
The proposed law follows campaigns from families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, where police leadership was found to have deliberately spread false narratives blaming Liverpool fans and withheld evidence of their own failings. Additionally, families of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing victims have backed the law after a public inquiry revealed that MI5 did not provide an accurate account of key intelligence related to the suicide bomber responsible for the attack. This new legislation would impose a legal requirement on public bodies and servants to act truthfully and fully cooperate with state investigations, backed by criminal penalties for violations.
Despite these intentions, the ancillary “duty of candour” clause currently does not fully extend to individual MI5 officers, a divergence from how it applies to personnel in other public organizations like the police. Pete Weatherby KC, director of the Hillsborough Law Now campaign assisting with the bill’s development, expressed to the BBC that he felt “misled” by the government during negotiations. He explained that campaigners had agreed that a crucial part of the law would apply to individual intelligence officers, but the government quietly inserted a clause in the draft legislation that would undermine this aim. It is believed ministers are reviewing amendments proposed by the campaigners, who have formally opposed the government’s own changes.
The legislation, known formally as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, is structured around three main components. First, it will create a general duty of candour requiring all public officials to proactively tell the truth in their work. The second establishes an ancillary duty of candour that applies to official investigations, like inquiries and inquests. Third, the bill aims to rebalance the funding mechanisms for legal representation between state bodies and victims during these inquiries.
In a recent letter addressed to Sir Keir Starmer, the families of five Manchester bombing victims voiced their frustration, asking, “How many times must MI5 show that it cannot be trusted before something is done?” They expressed disappointment that the current draft of the bill would let MI5 and other intelligence agencies avoid full responsibility under the duty of candour. They insisted that “every security and intelligence officer should be required to tell the truth, and the leaders of the organisations should also bear full responsibility.” To date, they have not received a response
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