Hillsborough Law to Complete Final Commons Stages on July 14

A bill that would make it a criminal offence for public bodies and officials to lie to the British public is expected to complete its remaining stages in the House of Commons on July 14, 2026. The Guardian reported that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is advancing the legislation as one of his final acts before leaving office.

The measure, known as the Hillsborough law, originated from the 1989 disaster at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium in which 97 people died.

A 2016 inquest jury found the deaths were unlawful killings caused by gross negligence manslaughter by match commander David Duckenfield and that no behaviour by Liverpool supporters contributed to the crush. Andrew Devine, the 97th victim, died in 2021 from injuries sustained that day.

The legislation imposes a positive duty of candour on public officials and authorities during inquiries and creates offences for those who deliberately mislead or obstruct accountability.

Families bereaved at Hillsborough had long sought equality of legal funding and a duty of candour after receiving no public funding at the first inquest while police officers had state-funded representation. Labour first promised the law in opposition. Andy Burnham proposed an earlier version as a private member’s bill in 2017.

After Labour’s 2024 election win, Starmer announced the bill at two party conferences and introduced it personally in the Commons. The government withdrew the bill last winter over a dispute about its application to the security services. The Guardian reported that the final point of contention has been resolved: decisions on excluding evidence on national security grounds will rest with an inquiry chair rather than security chiefs.