Prime Minister to Revoke Spy Chiefs' Veto on Hillsborough Law Exemptions
In a significant policy shift, the Prime Minister is poised to scrap previous proposals that would have afforded security services a sweeping exemption from the new Hillsborough Law. This pivotal legislation is designed to instil a 'duty of candour' across all public authorities, obliging them to be truthful and collaborative in investigations following major incidents.
Revised Stance on Security Services
As initially reported by The Times, the updated government plan dictates that security chiefs will be unable to unilaterally block intelligence officers from providing evidence. Should there be national security concerns, any request for partial or full exemption from disclosure would require a formal application to the courts. This marks a departure from earlier proposals which granted intelligence service heads the power to veto evidence disclosure.
The move comes after considerable pressure from Labour backbenchers and the Hillsborough families, who had voiced strong criticism over the delayed introduction of the law and the proposed differential treatment of security services compared to other public bodies.
Background to the Hillsborough Law
The Hillsborough Law, first pledged by Sir Keir Starmer in 2022, seeks to prevent future cover-ups in public life, directly addressing lessons learned from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster where 97 football fans tragically lost their lives. Progress on the bill had stalled earlier this year due to disagreements concerning the applicability of the duty of candour to intelligence personnel.
A government spokesperson affirmed, "We are working with the families, who have campaigned for decades, to get this bill right. The bill will fundamentally change how public authorities and officials behave during inquiries and investigations, ensuring honesty and transparency, so the state must always act for the people it serves."
