The Hillsborough Law Is Stuck in Limbo (Again) and Families Deserve Better

If you wanted a masterclass in how to break a promise twice, look no further than the government's handling of the Hillsborough Law. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, a piece of legislation born from decades of grief, cover-ups, and tireless campaigning by bereaved families, has been gathering dust in parliamentary limbo since January 2026. And with no return date in sight, it is almost certainly going to miss the 37th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster on 15 April 2026.

That would make it the second anniversary milestone the government has failed to meet. You might recall that PM Keir Starmer personally pledged to have the legislation introduced before April 2025, marking the 36th anniversary. He missed that one too.

What Is the Hillsborough Law, Exactly?

For those not up to speed, the bill aims to replace the outdated common-law offence of Misconduct in Public Office with modern statutory offences. At its heart sits a duty of candour, a legal obligation for public officials to be honest and transparent, particularly during inquests and public inquiries.

The bill would impose criminal sanctions of up to two years in prison for intentional or reckless breaches of that duty. It also includes provision for non-means-tested legal aid for bereaved families at inquests, something that would have made an enormous difference to the 97 people unlawfully killed at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989 and the families who spent decades fighting for the truth.

So Why Has It Stalled?

The bill was introduced on 16 September 2025 and sailed through its Second Reading on 3 November with cross-party support. Things were looking promising. Then came Clause 6.

This controversial provision dealt with how the duty of candour would apply to intelligence services like MI5, MI6, and GCHQ. Under the clause, only the heads of those agencies could authorise whether individual officers could be compelled to provide candid evidence. In other words, the spooks would essentially get to decide for themselves how transparent they needed to be.

Over 20 Labour MPs signalled potential opposition, and campaign group Hillsborough Law Now, along with bereaved families from both Hillsborough and the Manchester Arena bombing, withdrew their support for the bill entirely. Families accused the PM of "not having the guts" to stand up to the security services. The Report Stage, originally scheduled for 14 January 2026, was pulled at the last minute. The government withdrew Clause 6 but has yet to table a replacement.

It Gets Worse

As if the intelligence services row were not enough, a House of Lords debate on 26 February 2026 flagged yet another problem. Clause 11 excludes MPs and Peers from the offence of misleading the public. Let that sink in for a moment. A bill designed to hold public officials accountable would let the most prominent public officials off the hook.

One peer pointed out that only 14% of the public currently express confidence in politicians. Carving out an exemption for parliamentarians is not exactly the way to improve that figure, is it?

A Pattern of Broken Promises

The families who have campaigned for this legislation have been fighting since 1989. They endured a cover-up, a botched inquest, years of blame directed at the victims, and a painfully slow march towards justice. When Starmer pledged to get this done, it meant something. His stated desire to "get the balance right" between transparency and national security rings hollow when the bill has sat untouched for over two months.

Ian Byrne, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, has been the most vocal parliamentary champion for the bill. He and the families deserve more than vague assurances and indefinite delays.

What Happens Next?

Honestly, nobody seems to know. There is no scheduled return date. The government has not indicated when, or indeed whether, a revised version of Clause 6 will appear. Meanwhile, the anniversary approaches and the families wait. Again.

This is not a party political point. The Hillsborough Law has cross-party support. The principle that public servants should be honest and that bereaved families deserve proper legal support at inquests should not be controversial. The fact that it has become mired in arguments about spy agencies and parliamentary privilege is, frankly, embarrassing.

Get it done.

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