Jan Molby: Hillsborough Law Is a Victory That Should Never Have Been Needed | OneFootball

Hillsborough Law Should Never Have Been Needed

This fight took decades, but the families never gave up. Now the truth must be protected by law.

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Long overdue progress

When I first read through the Hillsborough Law proposal, I felt a mix of relief, respect, and sadness. Relief that there is finally movement. Respect for the families who fought so hard. Sadness that it has taken this long.

The essence of the law is simple. It will legally force public officials to tell the truth. That should never need to be written down, but here we are. This law is a response to decades of silence, deflection, and denial.

Families who refused to back down

I have met many of the Hillsborough families over the years. What always struck me is how composed they are. After everything they went through, they stayed strong. They were lied to and ignored, and yet they kept going.

They fought the government. They fought the legal system. They stood up when they were told to sit down. That takes something special. I do not know how they managed to keep going, but they did. And because of that, something might finally change.

Truth must be protected

The law introduces a duty of candour, meaning public officials must act with honesty at all times, with criminal penalties for serious breaches. It also offers legal aid for bereaved families. That alone is long overdue.

This law is not just about Hillsborough. You look at Grenfell and the Post Office scandal, and it is clear that this is about how the system behaves when it is under pressure. It protects itself. That needs to stop.

We can’t stop here

This law still needs to go through all the stages to become reality. So while it is progress, it is not yet a done deal. But it is a message. One that says, people are watching now.

The 97 should never have needed a law written in their name. But because of their families, future families might not have to suffer the same way.