Hillsborough Law delay pushes legislation past summer recess

The Hillsborough Law, long promised to bereaved families and campaigners fighting for public accountability, won’t reach Parliament until autumn at the earliest — despite Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy telling supporters the bill was coming “in the coming days.” That assurance, made weeks ago, has now quietly unravelled.

What happened to the timeline?

Government sources have confirmed the draft legislation is unlikely to be introduced before MPs break for the summer recess, which begins in late July. That means a minimum delay of several more months before any formal parliamentary debate can begin. For families who have waited more than three decades for meaningful legal reform, it’s another bitter wait.

The bill, formally known as the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill, would establish a legal duty of candour on public bodies and officials. It emerged from the long campaign following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 97 Liverpool supporters died. The subsequent cover-up by South Yorkshire Police and years of institutional stonewalling became the defining case for why such a law was needed.

Lammy’s pledge raised expectations

Lammy made his “coming days” comment during a high-profile engagement with campaigners, raising hopes that the government was finally ready to act. But Downing Street has since offered no firm date. A government spokesperson said the legislation remained “a priority” and that ministers were committed to getting it right before introduction. Still, that kind of language tends to signal delay rather than urgency.

It’s a frustrating pattern that campaigners know all too well. The previous Conservative government also repeatedly promised the bill before shelving it. Labour came to power in July 2024 with a clear manifesto commitment on the issue, so the current hold-up carries particular sting.

Families react with weary frustration

Survivor groups and bereaved families have responded with a mixture of disappointment and determination. Many have spent literally decades navigating inquests, public inquiries, and legal battles to establish basic truths about what happened that April afternoon at Sheffield’s Hillsborough stadium.

They’re not going away. And they’ve heard promises before.

One senior campaigner, speaking on background, described the mood as “exhausted but not defeated.” The core ask remains unchanged: a statutory duty requiring public servants to tell the truth, with real consequences for those who don’t. Currently, no such enforceable obligation exists in English law.

What comes next

Parliament returns from summer recess in early September. If the government moves quickly after that, a first reading could come before the party conference season in late September and October — though that window is tight. A more realistic target would be October or November, assuming ministerial sign-off on the final text happens over summer.

Campaigners say they’ll hold the government to every word spoken in its name. After 35 years, they’ve learned not to trust warm words alone. The Hillsborough Law deserves better than to become another casualty of the parliamentary calendar.