Hillsborough bill due in 2025 – what it will mean for future disasters and scandals

In his first conference speech as prime minister, Keir Starmer announced that the Hillsborough Bill would be introduced in April, ahead of the next anniversary of the football stadium disaster, and would force public bodies to co-operate with investigations into future disasters and scandals.

The statement follows a long campaign by the families of the 97 people killed (and hundreds injured) when part of Hillsborough Stadium collapsed in 1989.

The disaster and subsequent investigation showed that justice is often hindered by the tendency of powerful people to conceal information or refuse to cooperate with investigations.

Initial media accounts of the Hillsborough disaster wrongly blamed football fans for the deaths. A public inquiry found failures in policing, although its main recommendations concerned crowd safety at sports grounds.

Crucially, the inquest was denied access to all the relevant evidence, interviewing only a handful of people involved in the case because it was rushing to produce a narrowly focused report. The inquest ruled the deaths were “accidental.”

The grieving families “were certain that the true context, circumstances and impact of Hillsborough had not been properly investigated, established and made public”. Further efforts and campaigns for truth and justice followed. The families attempted to bring private prosecutions against two police officers who conducted operations at the match. Neither was charged.

In 2009, the government made an exception to the standard 30-year limit on the release of official records to ensure that all documents related to the disaster would be available to investigators.

Shortly afterwards, the Government established the Hillsborough Independent Panel to re-examine the causes of the disaster in the light of full access to the relevant evidence and in close cooperation with the families of the victims of the Hillsborough tragedy.

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Read more: New ‘Hillsborough law’ needed to tackle ‘burning injustice’ and empower victims and families

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The commission’s report highlighted police failures and said crowd safety had been “compromised at every level” due to “well-known” issues. The report said the police “tried to shift responsibility” onto Liverpool fans.

New investigations have found the deaths of 97 people to be unlawful, revealing negligence by police and emergency services and exonerating supporters who were initially blamed.

In 2012, South Yorkshire Police apologised and acknowledged the findings of an independent panel that “senior officers attempted to change the record of events” following the incident.

Decades of campaigns

The long fight for truth and justice has focused on the lack of honesty and openness of those in power, the desire to close ranks and blame others, and the failure to disclose important information. Hillsborough Law will enforce a “positive duty to tell the truth” and require public officials to “actively assist in investigations.”

Starmer confirmed in his speech that the bill would include criminal sanctions for those who breach it. The proposals also include better legal support and representation for future disaster victims and their families.

The Hillsborough Bill proposals were first introduced in 2017 as a Private Members’ Bill by Andy Burnham, then Shadow Home Secretary. Its passage was interrupted by the 2017 general election, but some aspects were reintroduced in 2022 in another Private Members’ Bill. That was also interrupted when Boris Johnson suspended Parliament.

Since becoming Labour leader, Starmer has presented his bill as a commitment to returning his party and government to working people. Passing a law designed and supported by working-class people who have suffered injustice when family members have died is a clear symbol of that agenda.

The law also highlights Starmer’s efforts to portray his government as one that strives for transparency, openness and coherence, contrasting with the previous 14 years of Conservative rule, which was marred by allegations of corruption and misconduct.

Examples include high-profile scandals related to the pandemic, including illegal parties hosted by members of the government in Downing Street and the unfair awarding of personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts to companies owned by people closely linked to the government.

The announcement comes as Starmer himself and senior members of his government have been accused of a lack of transparency over donations and gifts. The announcement of the Hillsborough Bill goes some way to repairing his commitment to transparency and service to government, which has lost some of its lustre in recent weeks.

Changing the culture

The reaction from families and activists to this news was positive.

The director of Inquest, a charity that supports families of people killed in disasters across the state, called the bill “a step forward in providing a legacy for the 97 people so that others do not have to go through the pain and trauma of decades of campaigning.”

The potential impact of the law extends far beyond Hillsborough. Other recent events, including the Post Office scandal, the blood scandal and the Grenfell Tower fire, have been marred by a lack of openness and honesty from those in power.

But is law alone enough? From Hillsborough to Grenfell and Windrush, these multiple injustices underline that the problem of secrecy, lack of transparency and honesty is systemic and cultural. The British state has long been characterised by a tradition of elitism, a ‘government knows best’ attitude and scepticism about citizen engagement, participation and openness.

The Hillsborough Bill is undoubtedly a step forward, but it is only one piece of the puzzle aimed at making British government more open and democratic.