Journalist: Hillsborough Law impact extends well beyond Liverpool | OneFootball

Hillsborough Law Matters – And Why It Must Deliver Justice

The bus was heading to Sheffield, back to Hillsborough, back to the place where 97 Liverpool supporters lost their lives in 1989. For some on board, it was their first journey to the scene of British football’s darkest day since that tragic FA Cup semi-final. When the bus broke down near the summit of Snake Pass, deep in the Peak District, it was more than just a mechanical failure. For one passenger, a 57-year-old who last visited Sheffield as a student escaping the Leppings Lane terrace, it felt like fate stepping in again.

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As Simon Hughes writes in The Athletic, this journey was part of a programme run by the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance (HSA), led by Peter Scarfe, to help survivors seek closure. Sometimes, Scarfe says, the visits involve just one person, encouraged by therapy to face a place where their life changed forever. The trips underline a simple truth, Hillsborough is not history. It lives with people every day, shaping lives and communities.

Why This Law Matters

That is why the announcement of a Hillsborough Law is so significant. Scarfe told The Athletic the law could offer “some comfort” but also create “a legacy which means people haven’t died in vain.”

Central to the legislation are two vital changes. The first is the “duty of candour”, a legal requirement that public officials tell the truth during investigations. The second ensures “parity of arms”, meaning that grieving families will no longer be outspent by the state at inquests. Instead, they will have publicly funded representation and a guarantee that legal costs are proportionate.

It is extraordinary that such measures have taken 35 years to arrive. These rules would seem obvious in any just society. They are basic protections, yet campaigners have had to fight for decades to see them enshrined in law.

Labour Pressure and Political Timing

The timing of this announcement carries political weight. Earlier this year, there were fears that the Labour government, led by Sir Keir Starmer, were softening their stance. A diluted version of the law had been presented, and as another Hillsborough anniversary passed without progress, Liverpool MP Ian Byrne confronted Starmer directly in Westminster.

Byrne warned that the “failure to introduce a law worthy of the name will be seen as a continuation of the betrayal of families and survivors of Hillsborough and all those affected by state cover-ups.” His words struck a chord not just with Merseyside but across the country, where trust in institutions is fragile.

With Labour’s party conference returning to Liverpool later this month, failing to act would have been politically disastrous. This announcement relieves some pressure on the government, but campaigners know the real test lies in delivery.

Lessons Beyond Liverpool

The Hillsborough Law is not just about football, nor about one city. David Lammy, the deputy prime minister, linked it to other national scandals, Grenfell, Windrush, where, as he wrote, those affected had “escaped justice.”

The 2016 inquests confirmed that the Hillsborough victims were “unlawfully killed”, yet only one person was ever convicted, Sheffield Wednesday’s club secretary, fined £6,500 for a health and safety offence. For many, this was not justice, merely a reminder of systemic failure.

The law’s progress through both the Commons and Lords will test whether Britain truly wishes to prevent future injustice. Survivors and families have seen too many false dawns to celebrate too early.

A Legacy Still Being Written

The new law represents hope, but hope is fragile. Campaigners remain cautious, wary that amendments could dilute the legislation’s impact. This is about more than legal reform, it is about dignity, accountability and public faith in institutions.

As Scarfe said, it is about leaving a legacy that honours those who died. “We cannot change what happened in 1989,” he said, “but we can change what happens to others in the future.”

The Hillsborough disaster will always be a scar on British football and public life. Whether this law finally delivers justice will define how history judges not just politicians, but a country’s ability to learn from its own failings.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

For Liverpool supporters, this law carries deep emotional weight. It represents decades of relentless campaigning, chanting “Justice for the 97” in stands across the country, writing letters, holding vigils and never allowing the memory of Hillsborough to fade.

There is relief that the government has chosen to act, but also caution. Fans have been here before, promised change only for it to arrive watered down or delayed. The demand now is simple: no more half measures, no more excuses.

Supporters see this law as a potential turning point for how victims of disasters are treated. They also see it as an opportunity to stop the pattern of cover-ups that scar not only football but wider society. The law must deliver real accountability, not symbolic gestures or headline-grabbing rhetoric.

For Liverpool fans, this is about ensuring no family has to endure decades of being disbelieved, smeared or left to fight alone. The Hillsborough Law is a chance to honour those who never came home and to make sure their deaths lead to lasting change. If that happens, it will be a victory that extends far beyond Merseyside.