UK Commons passes Hillsborough accountability law after security compromise
Legislation imposing a duty of candour on public officials and expanding support for bereaved families proceeds to the House of Lords following a weekend deal on intelligence exemptions.
The UK House of Commons has passed the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, widely known as the Hillsborough law, marking a significant shift in how public institutions are held to account. The legislation imposes a statutory duty of candour on public officials, meaning those who lie or evade questions during inquiries into tragedies face prosecution. The bill also includes an £185 million expansion in legal aid for bereaved families navigating inquest processes.
Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham described the legislation as a "rewiring of the state" that shifts power from institutions to the people. In his first Commons intervention since returning as an MP, Burnham stated the bill puts "decency back at the heart of the British state," addressing the re-traumatisation of families by official behaviour. He paid tribute to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, noting the change was happening because of the prime minister’s commitment to justice and fairness.
The bill’s passage follows months of delay caused by disputes over national security exemptions for intelligence officers. A compromise was brokered over the weekend, allowing inquiry chairs to review applications from MI5 bosses to withhold evidence. Crucially, the agreement ensures that chairs cannot refuse to provide the evidence entirely, a concession that satisfied campaigners who had rejected previous proposals giving security chiefs a veto.
Attorney General Richard Hermer was closely involved in drafting the compromise, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed off on the bill despite previous concerns from the Home Office and security services. Justice Minister Sarah Sackman steered the legal aid expansion, described as the largest in a decade, which aims to empower people to hold authorities to account regardless of their financial means.
Hillsborough campaigners, including Margaret Aspinall, Charlotte Hennessy, Sue Roberts, and Steve Kelly, issued a joint statement celebrating the legislation as a victory for ordinary people. They emphasised that the law represents a cultural shift in how bereaved families are treated. The bill now proceeds to the House of Lords for further consideration.
