Claire Hughes MP has welcomed the Hillsborough Law, paying tribute to the families whose decades-long campaign for truth and justice has helped change the balance of power between ordinary people and the state.
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill will introduce a new legal duty of candour and assistance for public authorities and officials at inquiries and investigations, requiring them to act honestly and transparently when things go wrong.
It will also deliver the biggest expansion of legal aid in a decade and place a legal duty on public bodies to ensure their spending at inquiries is proportionate, helping to create a fairer balance between bereaved families and powerful public institutions.
The legislation has been developed following years of campaigning by the Hillsborough families and Hillsborough Law Now, with the Government working closely with families and campaigners to get the legislation right.
Commenting, Claire Hughes MP said:
“Without the courage and campaigning of the Hillsborough families, this would never have happened.
“They never gave up. It is because of their dignity, determination and endurance that the balance of power in our country has been changed forever.
“What happened after Hillsborough showed what can happen when ordinary people seeking the truth find themselves up against powerful institutions. This law is about making sure the state acts for the people it is supposed to serve, and that families seeking answers are never again left to fight that battle alone.”
Speaking in Parliament as MPs considered the legislation, Andy Burnham also paid tribute to the Hillsborough families and said the law would “rebalance the scales of justice” for ordinary people.
He said that while the law could not undo what happened to the Hillsborough families, it would make a difference to those who come after them, describing that as what made their decades of campaigning so remarkable.
The legislation is intended to help prevent the culture of institutional defensiveness and cover-up that has compounded the suffering of people affected not only by Hillsborough, but by other major injustices and disasters.
Claire added:
“Nothing can undo the terrible loss at Hillsborough or the injustice the families endured afterwards. But their campaign has created something that will protect others in the future. That is an extraordinary legacy, and one our country should never forget.”
Promoted by Claire Hughes at House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA. This website is paid for independently by Claire Hughes MP, no public funds have been used in the production of this website.
