MPs Poised to Pass Long-Delayed 'Hillsborough Law' Requiring Official Candour

MPs are expected to approve the long-delayed "Hillsborough Law" later today, a measure designed to prevent future state cover-ups by imposing a legal duty of candour on public bodies and officials.

What the Bill Would Do

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill would require public authorities and officials to tell the truth and proactively cooperate with official investigations and inquiries. It also includes a commitment to provide legal aid for victims of disasters or state-related deaths.

Intelligence Services Dispute and Amendments

Passage of the bill stalled amid disputes over how the duty should apply to intelligence officers. A proposed government amendment had previously made cooperation by intelligence officers contingent on approval from the head of their service, prompting strong objections from bereaved families and some MPs.

Ministers have now tabled further amendments that they say remove any blanket exemption for agencies such as MI5 and MI6 while protecting national security. Those changes are due to be considered at the bill's report stage ahead of a third reading in the Commons.

Political Timing and Next Steps

If MPs approve the bill during Sir Keir Starmer's final days as prime minister, he will be able to present it as a key part of his No 10 legacy. The bill will then move to the House of Lords, where peers could propose further changes, potentially on national security grounds. Downing Street has said it wants the law on the statute book by April next year, in time for the Hillsborough anniversary.

Background: The Hillsborough Tragedy

The law takes its popular name from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, when a crush at the FA Cup semi-final at Sheffield Wednesday's ground led to the deaths of 97 people. Subsequent inquiries found that police leaders circulated false narratives blaming Liverpool fans and withheld evidence of police failings.

Voices and Reactions

Sir Keir Starmer called the bill a "landmark law" and paid tribute to the families and campaigners who fought for decades for justice.

Andy Burnham, expected to succeed Sir Keir as prime minister, described the anticipated Commons debate as "deeply moving" and said the bill raises fundamental questions about how power is shared between institutions and communities.

Campaigners and bereaved families welcomed the bill's return to the Commons. In a joint statement, Charlotte Hennessy, Sue Roberts, Steve Kelly and Margaret Aspinall said the change was "not just about legislation, but about changing the way the bereaved and survivors are treated — a cultural shift that protects others forever."