The mayors of Liverpool and Greater Manchester have written to MPs, calling for them to support reforms to the legal system on the 33rd anniversary of Hillsborough.
Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham urged those in power to back the ‘Hillsborough law’, which would enable bereaved families to have funding for lawyers to represent them at inquests. It would also allow public bodies to sign a charter committing them to fair conduct.
These proposals were supported by the families of the 96 victims who died at the FA Cup semi‑final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989. They agreed upon the reforms after the second inquest concluded in 2016.
However, the government is yet to implement any of the proposals into law.
The 2016 inquest into Hillsborough stated that the deaths of the 96 people – now 97 since the passing of Andrew Devine last year – were unlawfully killed due to gross negligence manslaughter by the South Yorkshire police officer in command, Ch Supt David Duckenfield.
In their letter, Rotheram and Burnham said: “The reason why this pattern keeps on repeating is simple. The scales of justice are weighed against ordinary families and in favour of public authorities who hold all the power.”
They then went on to add: “A fundamental re-balancing of the legal, coronial and judicial systems, creating a level playing field for bereaved families with agencies of the state, will prevent future generations experiencing the injustices we have seen in our lifetimes.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “The Home Office has been working closely with its partners in the relevant government departments and organisations to carefully consider the points of learning made by Bishop James Jones.
“Our focus now is engaging with the Hillsborough families and publishing the government’s overarching response to the bishop’s report in due course.”
