Hillsborough Law deserves a big welcome - Ian Murray

It’s something that struck me at the Scotland-Brazil game in Miami, which I was at with my brother and nephew. There we were, thousands of Scotland fans halfway across the world, all cheering on our national team together.

I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a lump in my throat as we erupted into Flower of Scotland at the beginning of the game. While the result didn’t go our way, it was a truly unforgettable experience and full of all those things football is about: joy, hope, and exhilaration.

There have, however, been times in the recent past when football has been the scene of untold tragedy. It’s unimaginable to think of going to watch a football match and not coming home. But that was the reality for those Liverpool fans at Hillsborough in 1989. The disaster claimed 97 lives, and hundreds of people were injured.

What happened next was a profoundly shaming moment in the history of our public institutions. Police officers lying to protect reputations; families left without funding for legal representation while public bodies appointed multiple well-resourced legal teams; a 25-year battle for a proper inquest.

Sadly the Hillsborough Disaster is not the only instance in recent years in which public institutions have failed the very people they are supposed to protect.

The infected blood scandal, the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the Post Office Horizon scandal are all occasions where the state has fallen far short of the duties expected of it, with catastrophic, life-ruining consequences for those affected.

That’s why in our election manifesto in 2024 we promised to introduce a Hillsborough Law, to make public bodies properly accountable, and, on a deeper level, produce a change in culture to instil truthfulness, openness and the public interest at the heart of our institutions.

This week, on Tuesday, the bill passed the House of Commons. I was delighted to be among the MPs who voted for it.

The bill has three main elements. First, it will establish a legal duty of candour, requiring public officials to assist investigations in finding the truth and to disclose information proactively, rather than in ways that favour their own interests.

Second, it will create new statutory offences, including for purposefully misleading the public, and codify the law on misconduct in public office, ensuring that those who abuse their position will face serious criminal sanctions, including prison time.

Third, it will expand access to legal aid for bereaved families to all inquests where public bodies are involved.

It’s a hugely significant moment, and a legacy of which Keir Starmer can rightly be proud as he prepares to step down as Prime Minister next week. It is also a legacy which Andy Burnham has vowed to protect, having praised the bill in the House on Tuesday.

This week, justice has at last been served for the 97.