What does the pledge mean? 

The proposed law takes its name after the Hillsborough football stadium disaster on 15 April 1989, in which 97 people were killed. Since then, campaigners have called for a law to prevent public authorities from avoiding accountability in the wake of tragedies.

A Hillsborough Law was first introduced to Parliament by then-Labour MP Andy Burnham in March 2017, as the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill, but it did not progress before the general election later that year. 

An independent review into the tragedy published in November 2017 also backed the aims of the Hillsborough Law, but the Conservative government did not commit to introducing this legislation in its formal response to the review in 2023.

As Labour’s proposed legislation has not been published, we do not yet know how closely it will match the contents of the previous bill. However, Labour has pledged this new legislation will place a legal “duty of candour” on public servants and authorities, meaning they would be required to act proactively and truthfully to assist official investigations, inquests and inquiries. Separate regulations already place a duty of candour on health and social care settings.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has indicated the new legislation would include criminal sanctions. 

Alongside the Hillsborough Law, the government has also committed to providing legal aid for victims of disasters or state-related deaths, which helps pay for the cost of legal advice and representation.

While no date was set in Labour’s manifesto, Mr Starmer said before the election the bill would be a “priority” for a Labour government. And in September 2024 at the Labour party conference he committed to introducing the law to Parliament before the 36th anniversary of the tragedy on 15 April 2025.

What progress has been made?

The Prime Minister’s commitment to introduce legislation by the 36th anniversary has not been met, as some campaigning for the law have highlighted. 

However, the legislation appears likely to be introduced in the current parliament, which is due to end in 2029/30. Based on the wording of the manifesto, which did not commit to a specific timeframe, for now we’re rating the pledge as “in progress”.

In February 2025 victims minister Alex Davies-Jones said that the government “will introduce the Bill this Parliamentary session”. 

In April 2025, Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell said the government remained “focused on fulfilling our commitment to the Hillsborough families to bring forward and enact a Hillsborough law”. 

She did not commit to a specific timeframe, however, saying ministers would “take whatever time is necessary to work collaboratively with the families and their representatives, because getting the legislation right is overwhelmingly our priority”.

The commitment to introduce the bill has been reiterated by other ministers, including health secretary Wes Streeting, while justice secretary Shabana Mahmood and paymaster general Nick Thomas-Symonds reportedly wrote to affected families to confirm a commitment to introduce the law, despite the 15 April 2025 deadline being missed.

When we contacted the Ministry of Justice in April 2025 to ask for a timeframe for the bill’s publication, we were told ministers are working to deliver it “at pace”.