A new law criminalising public bodies and officials that lie to the British public is expected to complete its final stages in the House of Commons on Tuesday, pushed through by Keir Starmer as one of his final acts as prime minister. After a decade of campaigning, the landmark legislation — officially known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, but widely referred to as the Hillsborough Law — will create a legally enforceable duty of candour, compelling public officials and authorities to act transparently when investigations and inquiries take place.
The law takes its name from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which claimed the lives of 97 Liverpool supporters after a crush during the FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium. In the aftermath, police spread false narratives blaming Liverpool fans and withheld evidence of their own failings. Fresh inquests held in 2016 found that the fans had been unlawfully killed, and that it was the police who had caused or contributed to their deaths.
A Decade of Campaigning and Delays
The bill was first promised by Labour as a defining manifesto commitment before entering government. Starmer pledged at the party's 2024 conference in Liverpool to introduce legislation before the next anniversary of the disaster — 15 April 2025. However, the bill was delayed after ministers clashed with campaigners over how it should apply to the intelligence services.
In January, Downing Street withdrew the legislation from the parliamentary agenda following disagreements over how far it would require MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to comply with the proposed duty of candour. The intelligence agencies raised concerns about the impact on national security operations and covert officers.
Campaigners and bereaved families feared the law would be watered down or delayed indefinitely. But a breakthrough was reached after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations. Amendments agreed by the government mean there will be no exemptions for the intelligence services. Instead, individuals who work or have worked for intelligence agencies can be given 'compliance directions', allowing sensitive information to be disclosed securely to inquiries while preserving the duty of candour.
What the Law Will Do
The Hillsborough Law will introduce a legally enforceable duty of candour, requiring public officials and authorities to be completely open and transparent during investigations and inquiries, and not to engage in selective disclosure of facts and evidence.
It will also expand legal aid so bereaved families have equal, publicly funded representation at inquests, preventing the kind of inequality that saw Hillsborough families forced to use insurance payouts to hire lawyers while the state deployed armies of lawyers to deny justice.
The legislation will create new mandatory codes of conduct, a strengthened definition of 'misconduct in public office', and enhanced status for the representatives of victims during public inquiries. It will make it a criminal offence for public officials to mislead proceedings.
Political Significance and Reactions
The bill's passage is seen as a significant achievement for Starmer in his final week as prime minister, delivering on a promise he made to families before entering Downing Street. Andy Burnham, the incoming prime minister and a long-standing supporter of the Hillsborough families, also played a crucial role in persuading ministers to allow the bill to proceed without the changes campaigners had feared.
Hillsborough survivor and MP Ian Byrne, who has led the parliamentary campaign for the law, told the BBC: 'I'm absolutely delighted, and above all relieved, that we have finally secured the Hillsborough Law. This is a lasting legacy for the 97, for the survivors, the bereaved families, and for every person who has suffered at the hands of the state and been denied truth and justice.'
Charlotte Hennessy, whose father James was among the 97 killed, said: 'The prime minister made us a promise and he has fulfilled it, that is a clear testament to the man he is. A special thank you to Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham for pushing together to get this bill back on track.'
The Hillsborough Law Now campaign said in a statement: 'The government has now conceded that there will be no carve-outs, no exemptions for security services or anyone else, breaking the impasse that has persisted since January. This is an important milestone, not just for Hillsborough families, but for every family who has experienced a cover-up and lack of accountability from public authorities.'
If the bill clears the Commons this week, it will move to the House of Lords before receiving royal assent. For the families who have fought for decades, it represents a fundamental shift in the balance of power — ensuring the state can never again hide from the people it is supposed to serve.
