Labour ministers backtrack on Hillsborough Law amendment
Labour ministers have withdrawn a proposed amendment to exempt spies from the upcoming Hillsborough Law following significant backlash from campaigners and members within their own party, reports BritPanorama.
The amendment would have allowed the application of the law to spies only in instances where their service chief provided prior approval. Critics, including politicians and advocates for transparency, expressed concerns that this provision could enable spies to evade legal obligations to fully cooperate with public inquiries.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy clarified that security services would not be exempt from the law, stating to the BBC, “I just want to be really clear, the security services won’t be exempt.” This statement comes in the context of ongoing worries regarding accountability, particularly following the Manchester Arena bombing inquiry, where families felt misled due to incomplete information from security services.
Approximately 30 Labour MPs, led by Liverpool MP Ian Byrne, advocated for the law to apply uniformly to security service personnel. The intervention of MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum, who engaged with lawmakers amidst rising government concerns about potential dissent, highlights the sensitivity of the issue.
In withdrawing the amendment, the government aims to reinforce trust in public inquiry processes and ensure that the lessons learned from past incidents are not forgotten.
This move indicates Labour’s responsiveness to its base and the public’s demand for transparency and accountability from security services in Britain.
The changes to the Hillsborough Law signal an ongoing evolution in governmental oversight and the balance between national security and democratic transparency.
