Hillsborough Law

I’m wearing my Hillsborough badge today to honour those who were so tragically taken too soon, those still living with the pain of that day, and the people who have campaigned tirelessly to ensure nothing like it ever happens again.

It’s 36 years since the Hillsborough disaster. The pain of that day is still deeply felt by the families who lost loved ones. Their tireless campaign to make sure such a cover-up can never happen again has brought us to this important moment: the Hillsborough Law has finally come before Parliament yesterday.

Sadly, we’ve seen similar injustices far too often – from the Post Office Horizon scandal to the Infected Blood tragedy and the Grenfell Tower fire.

The Government is clear: these failures must never be repeated. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, the formal name for the Hillsborough Law – will:

• Place a duty on public authorities to provide legal representation at inquests, taking into account the position of bereaved families.

• Deliver the largest expansion of legal aid in over a decade.

• Require public authorities to follow clear principles of honesty and transparency.

• Give coroners and inquiry chairs new powers to raise concerns about the conduct of public bodies or their legal teams.

• Ensure affected families can fully participate in proceedings, with Interested Persons expected to support that right.

This legislation will be a lasting part of Hillsborough’s legacy, a step towards truth, accountability, and a fairer country for us all.