Hillsborough Law clears Commons, imposing 'duty of candour' on UK public officials after 37-year campaign

The House of Commons unanimously passed the long-delayed Hillsborough Law on Tuesday evening, a watershed moment 37 years after the 1989 stadium disaster that killed 97 Liverpool fans. The legislation, formally titled the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, imposes a legal duty of candour on public bodies and officials, making it a criminal offence to lie or obstruct during official inquiries.

A 37-year fight for truth

The law is named after the Hillsborough disaster of 15 April 1989, when a crush at Sheffield's Hillsborough Stadium during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest killed 97 supporters and injured 766. An initial narrative blamed drunken, ticketless Liverpool fans, but subsequent independent investigations revealed police had manipulated witness statements and covered up their own operational failures. The second inquest concluded in 2016 that the 96 victims, the 97th died in 2021, were unlawfully killed and that supporters bore no responsibility. Six senior police officers were charged with manslaughter 28 years after the tragedy; none were convicted.

We knew we could not stand by and let professionals and organisations continue to abuse their positions of power.

Starmer's final act, Burnham's opening salvo

Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer opened the debate and stood at the dispatch box as MPs voted, fulfilling a promise he made during Labour's 2024 election campaign. His successor, Andy Burnham, made his first Commons intervention since returning as an MP, calling the bill "truly a rewiring of the state and a passing of power from the authorities to the hands of ordinary people." Burnham's involvement dates to 2009, when as culture secretary he was heckled by Liverpool fans at Anfield during the 20th anniversary memorial. He later introduced a private members' bill on the duty of candour in 2017, just before stepping down as an MP to become Greater Manchester mayor. Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, was also involved with the Hillsborough case in his legal career.

It does feel tonight like life is coming full circle, and as we pass this momentous piece of legislation — a piece of legislation that will change the way this country thinks and works about justice — it truly is a rewiring of the state.

The intelligence services carve-out

The bill nearly collapsed in January when Downing Street withdrew it from the parliamentary agenda amid disagreement over whether intelligence services would be subject to the duty of candour. Following pressure from bereaved families, the government agreed that MI5, MI6 and GCHQ will be covered, but with a "secure process" for handling disclosures that could affect national security. Senior figures including Knowsley MP Anneliese Midgley, and joint intelligence committee members Kevan Jones and Conservative MP Jeremy Wright, were instrumental in brokering the compromise. The bill now proceeds to the House of Lords and is expected to become law by autumn 2026.

A legacy beyond football

Burnham framed the legislation as extending far beyond Hillsborough, citing the families of the 72 people killed in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, nuclear test veterans, and sub-postmasters wrongly accused of theft. The Guardian noted that the law's passage came hours after the Covid-19 inquiry's procurement report, chaired by Lady Heather Hallett, which found that £10bn of PPE spending was wasted because of flawed purchasing arrangements and that a "VIP lane" gave suppliers with political connections preferential treatment. The inquiry did not call for a duty of candour, but her findings that secrecy persisted past the initial crisis made the case for one, the newspaper observed.

Whatever happens next in my life, I'm never giving up on this. While I've got breath in my body, I'm going to campaign on all these issues with all of you for as long as is necessary.

A moment of Labour unity

The bill passed with unanimous support on a day that saw rare harmony between Starmer and Burnham during a tense leadership transition. Burnham used his speech to pay tribute to Starmer, telling the prime minister the law "truly is your legacy." Parliament rises for summer recess on Thursday, meaning the Hillsborough debate was likely Burnham's only backbench intervention before he becomes prime minister. The Frankfurter Allgemeine described the session as an unexpected moment of reconciliation and unity for the Labour Party.