LONDON, July 6 — The campaign for a Hillsborough Law, which aims to transform the treatment of victims of public disasters by holding authorities accountable, remains unfulfilled, as efforts to enact the legislation have been significantly delayed. This according to the statement made by Andy Burnham who, in May, expressed his frustration with the longstanding promises by the Prime Minister and cabinet who pledged to implement the law in their election manifesto two summers ago.
The proposed Hillsborough Law requires a duty of candour for public officials, compelling them to tell the truth or face sanctions, but the implementation has encountered opposition, particularly on how the law could apply to security services. It was Burnham who noted that the bill had been bogged down, causing frustration among families of victims, as reflected in the social media statement of Charlotte Hennessy who questioned, “How much longer is needed…How many more times do victims, like us, have to go round this carousel of cruelty that we never even asked to ride on?”
Not only does Burnham’s statement reflect the ongoing struggle for the families to secure justice—these families have been ceaselessly travelling to break the stalemate and earn the vital legislation they need. Their patience, according to Burnham’s recount, is wearing thin.
The wider geopolitical context is that the UK has been pushing for such a law to honor victims of the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, where 97 people were killed. The law, which has been campaigned for by resolute advocates like Charlotte Hennessy, Margaret Aspinall, Steve Kelly, and Sue Roberts—individuals whom Burnham describes as “remakable” and who met regularly with him in his capacity as a significant politician, is now pivotal. It carries the potential to rewire the nation’s approach to handling public disasters and the transparency of the state.
As the record shows, the process of getting the bill through Parliament, the epicenter of UK lawmaking, has been heavily delayed. This stagnation only heightens the challenges faced by those who lost loved ones in the disaster, and it remains to be seen when and how these impediments will be overcome.
Looking ahead, what raises concerns is the lack of progress made despite the UK government’s apparent commitment to the bill. The families are now demanding clear action, and their frustration underscores the need for the UK government to uphold its promises and deliver the Hillsborough Law to bring much-needed change.
