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Families of those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena bombing have expressed their inability to support the current draft of new legislation aimed at preventing concealment of information by public authorities. Recently, campaigners met with the Prime Minister in Parliament to advocate for the Hillsborough Law to be extended explicitly to cover individual personnel within MI5, MI6, and GCHQ, ensuring that no public body would be exempt from its provisions. The bereaved families had previously written to the Prime Minister emphasizing that MI5 had failed them and insisted that the proposed legislation must comprehensively include security services.
A public inquiry revealed that MI5 failed to provide an accurate account of the intelligence it possessed regarding the suicide bomber responsible for the 2017 arena attack, which resulted in 22 fatalities and left hundreds injured. The Hillsborough Law Now campaign has raised concerns that the current version of the bill might enable intelligence agencies to obscure serious shortcomings by citing vague national security reasons. Although the government has introduced amendments intended to impose the same duty of candour on security personnel as on other public servants, the heads of MI5, MI6, and GCHQ would retain authority to decide how or if information provided to inquiries or investigations is disclosed.
Government officials have stated that they deeply respect the affected families but have reached the limit in their concessions without jeopardizing national security. They maintain that the intelligence agencies will face unprecedented scrutiny under the new bill. A government spokesperson told the BBC that the government is continuing discussions with the families to strengthen the legislation as much as possible without compromising security. Ruth Leney, chair of the Manchester Arena Support Network, acknowledged the Prime Minister’s willingness to listen but lamented that the outcome did not meet expectations. She emphasized that the law must apply fully, without dilution, particularly in relation to the security services, underscoring a lack of trust if accountability is not universal.
Several family members who lost loved ones in the bombing have voiced their disappointment. Caroline Curry said she felt “devastated” and misled by the bill’s amendments and expressed a desire to protect others despite the irreversible loss. Lisa Rutherford spoke similarly, insisting that their demand was for honesty, even though there is skepticism about further government reassurances. Pete Weatherby KC, from the Hillsborough Law Now campaign, warned that the government risks losing a vital opportunity. During Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour MP Anneliese Midgley accused MI5 of misleading the public and hiding crucial information about the bombing over six years. The Prime Minister responded that the government is committed to not diluting the legislation and praised the amendments for providing essential safeguards balancing candour with national security
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