By Richard Hermer

Copyright independent

I have spent much of my career representing victims of state and corporate failure. In those cases, I witnessed the same pattern: grieving families left to fight for answers against the authorities, who have much larger resources. This experience left me with a deep conviction that our legal system must do better.

The bare minimum is to provide answers to those who are grieving in the wake of a tragedy, but the law must also help to change the culture that too often allows these incidents to happen in the first place.

This is the principle that underpins the Hillsborough Law, legislation for which will be introduced to parliament today. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill will compel public officials to tell the truth during investigations into major disasters.

For a long time, the prime minister has been crystal clear about delivering a Hillsborough Law that the families can be proud of. This has been achieved by working with the campaigners and families, not only listening but learning.

Margaret Aspinall, who lost her son at Hillsborough, has been especially clear. For her, the demand for parity of arms when it comes to legal representation is born of painful personal experience.

She has described what it was like to stand in a courtroom as a bereaved mother, facing rows of lawyers representing the authorities, while she and others were left without legal representation.

That will no longer happen.

Under the prime minister’s leadership, we have been working across government to ensure that the families’ views are not just acknowledged, but embedded into legislation. That work has required challenging but necessary conversations.

Under our new legislation there will be a legal obligation to help investigations to find the truth. All public authorities and public officials will need to provide information and evidence with candour; proactively; and without favouring their own position.

There will be a new offence of seriously misleading the public, aimed squarely at those in our public services who seek to cover up the truth.

We will provide legal aid for bereaved families at all inquests where a public authority is potentially at fault – with no means test.

We are doing this because the victims believe, and the prime minister agrees, those in authority are legally bound to be open, transparent, and forthcoming. The Bill acts not just as a mechanism for accountability after the fact, but as a deterrent against future wrongdoing.

It will help build a new culture – one in which the instinct of public bodies is to be honest, open, and candid with those they serve. One in which families are never again forced to fight alone for the truth. And one in which the law is not only an instrument of redress but a living safeguard of dignity, fairness, and accountability.

This is a truly historic moment, and one that is only made possible by the courage and tenacity of Hillsborough Families. They have campaigned for change for decades and have tirelessly worked with this government to make this legislation a reality.

This is a bill that will happen because we have a prime minister of principle and determination to change the relationship between the state and those that it serves. It serves as proof of our belief in our government of service.

Richard Hermer was appointed attorney general in 2024