Campaigners linked to Hillsborough say the proposed Public Office (Accountability) Bill would leave a lasting legacy for future generations after a meeting with the Prime Minister at Downing Street. The bill would impose criminal sanctions on authorities that cover up the facts behind disasters such as the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy or the Grenfell Tower fire. The Hillsborough disaster led to the deaths of 97 football fans.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had pledged to bring the law in by the 36th anniversary of Hillsborough on 15 April, but Downing Street later said more time was needed to redraft it. At the talks with families, Starmer acknowledged the campaign had been a battle, with open discussions continuing as the deadline passed.

Margaret Aspinall, whose son James died at Hillsborough, said she hopes the law will mean no one will ever have to suffer like we did, telling Starmer that day felt like one that should have happened. She added that the measure is a legacy for the country, not just for the 97 victims. The Prime Minister described the campaigners’ courage as humbling and said their work would change lives for people they will never meet. Officials say the legislation will include a professional and legal duty of candour, with breaches carrying criminal sanctions. Some campaigners feared the contents might be watered down, but the Government has confirmed the duty of candour will be part of the bill. The package also includes the largest expansion of legal aid in a decade for bereaved families and a new offence for misleading the public.

Natasha Elcock of Grenfell United said it has been easy for public and private agencies to escape accountability, and that establishing a duty of candour will help survivors and the bereaved. Lobby Akinnola, who lost his father Femi in the Covid era, said the bill is a huge step toward justice.