𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Government has pulled an amendment to its proposed Hillsborough Law amid concerns from campaigners and MPs that the duty of candour under the legislation was being watered down. The law – officially the Public Office (Accountability) Bill – aims to force public officials and contractors to tell the truth after disasters.

Amendments proposed by the Government on Wednesday brought spies within the scope of the legislation, subject to the approval of the head of their service, but campaigners argued this would allow those running the security services to decide whether to disclose information. The Government has decided not to move its amendment on Monday, but to instead work with campaigners and the bereaved to bring forward amendments when it reaches the Lords, according to the Press Association. The Bill will still return to the Commons for its report stage and third reading as planned.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledged to introduce a duty of candour during the general election and has been under pressure to follow through on promises.

A Government spokesperson said: “This legislation will right the wrongs of the past, changing the balance of power to ensure the state can never hide from the people it should serve and putting a legal duty on officials to respond openly and honestly when things go wrong.

“The Bill will make the police, intelligence agencies and the whole of government more scrutinised than they have ever been, but we can never compromise on national security.

“We will continue to work with all parties to make sure the Bill is the strongest it can possibly be, without compromising national security.”

Campaign group Hillsborough Law Now said in a post on X: “We welcome the government listening to the campaign, families, MPs and supporters by withdrawing their security services amendment.

“We shall engage further with government to ensure the bill fully applies to the security services whilst not jeopardising national security.”

Some campaigners had warned that the draft legislation might allow intelligence chiefs to “hide serious failures behind a vague claim of national security”.

MPs had been due to debate the Hillsborough Law last week but the discussion was pushed back until Monday to allow the Government to propose changes that might address campaigners’ concerns.

However, the amendment put forward drew criticism from campaigners and Labour figures.

Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said on Saturday that the amendment “risks undermining the spirit of the legislation” and “creates too broad an opt-out” for the security services.

Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne had said he would not be able to support the legislation with the Government’s amendments included.

He had also tabled several amendments of his own.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stressed earlier on Sunday that security services would not be “exempt” from the duty of candour.

She said the challenge was to make sure the law applies to the security services “without fear or favour” while allowing them to do their jobs, as part of which they are “often the recipients of confidential information”.

“But that we never ever end up in a situation like we did with the Manchester Arena inquiry, and I have constituents who are affected by that as well – where the security services are able to withhold information and present an inaccurate picture to families and to a public inquiry for a very long time,” she told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.