Oral Answers to Questions

Kim Johnson Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Yes, it will. As the right hon. Gentleman may know, I have known some of the Hillsborough families for many years—I met them over a decade ago—and know exactly what they have been through. Various other groups have suffered similar injustices with similar follow-up, which is an additional injustice on top of the original injustice. That is why we will bring forward a Hillsborough law—it is a commitment I have made. I have been talking to the families myself in recent weeks to make sure that we get this right. It is important that we get it right, but it will have a legal duty of candour.

[Kim Johnson (Liverpool Riverside) (Lab)]

Q5. I have a follow-on question. The Prime Minister visited my constituency in 2022 and told families that“one of my first acts will be to put the Hillsborough law on the statute book.”He repeated the same promise at conference last year, saying that the Bill would be published on the anniversary in April. That did not happen. However, the Government are now planning to table a watered-down version that does not deserve to be named a “Hillsborough law”. After PMQs, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool West Derby (Ian Byrne) will seek to introduce the real Hillsborough law. Can the Prime Minister finally honour his promise and back the law in full? If not, why not?

[The Prime Minister]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this, and remember well the visit we had. This is a really serious issue, and it is important that we get it right. I am fully committed to introducing a Hillsborough law, including a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply. It is important that we get it right. I have been personally engaging with some of the families on this, because, as I say, I have seen at first hand what they have been through for over 10 years. I first met them when I was Director of Public Prosecutions and there was consideration of the order in which certain things would happen. That was actually about a different issue—it was about an issue of great concern to them—but my hon. Friend is right to raise this. We will bring this forward. I just want to take the time to get it right and then put it before the House.