Hillsborough Law Now Campaign – Parliamentary Launch July 2022

I am immensely proud to be launching the Hillsborough Law Now Campaign in Parliament in July, supported by Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Mayor and Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Mayor.

The meeting will hear from groups focused on Hillsborough, Grenfell, Manchester Arena bombing, Blood Contamination, Covid-19 Bereavement and other campaigns which have experienced the lack of candour and accountability in major scandals not afforded the right of inquiry or redress in law.

This Parliamentary launch marks a key moment for the Hillsborough Law Now campaign to drive forward legislative change.

The first Parliamentary meeting of the Hillsborough Law Now Campaign will discuss how Parliamentarians, Combined Authority Mayors, campaigners, activities and others can drive forward the crucial need to bring forth legislative change that realises and enacts the recommendations of the 2017 Jones Review which form the basis of a proposed Hillsborough Law, including:

• Give bereaved families better access to money for legal representation at inquests - creating a level playing field.

• Put in place a duty of candour on all police officers and public officials.

• Adopt a Charter for families bereaved through public tragedy which would be binding on all public bodies.

• Place a requirement that evidence and findings of major Inquests must be taken fully into account at any subsequent criminal trials.

• Clarify in law that major Inquiries commissioned by the Government or other official bodies constitute “courses of public justice”.

• Make it a requirement that any criminal trials following a major inquest take place in a court with relevant expertise and status, rather than a crown court.

I have previously spoken about the importance of these changes to the law and also outlined why education and my Real Truth Legacy Project must be part of the legacy of Hillsborough.