After years of fighting for it, the Hillsborough Law has finally passed in the UK’s House of Commons. Officially called the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, the Hillsborough Law is designed to ensure accountability and fairness in the justice system, should tragedy occur. Public officials will be required to provide truthful evidence to inquiries and investigations. It will also better support bereaved families during national tragedies.
The Hillsborough Law enshrines the following directives (per the LFC announcement):
- Create a statutory “duty of candour and assistance” (a legal obligation to act transparently) for public authorities and officials when engaging with inquiries, inquests and similar investigations
- Create a framework to ensure ethical conduct in public authorities, including mandatory codes of conduct
- Create new criminal offences of failing to uphold the duty of candour and assistance and misleading the public
- Create two new statutory offences to replace the common law offence of misconduct in public office
- Introduce “parity of representation” for bereaved families at inquests involving public authorities
Our hearts are one with the family and friends of the 97, and the people who campaigned tirelessly to make this vital legislation happen despite years of roadblocks and stalling. No person should go to a football game and not come home. JFT97.