Hillsborough Law marks 'major step for victims and families' - Derry's MP
SDLP Foyle MP Colum Eastwood has welcomed the passage of the Hillsborough Law through the House of Commons, paying tribute to the Hillsborough families as the Bill moves to its next stage.
Mr Eastwood said the legislation would resonate deeply in Derry, where many families have endured long battles for truth and accountability.
Derry’s MP also highlighted the enduring solidarity between the Hillsborough and Bloody Sunday families.
Former SDLP Leader Mark Durkan was among the original co-sponsors for the Hillsborough Law in 2017, while Mr Eastwood has backed the campaign in Parliament since 2019, including co-sponsoring amendments tabled by Ian Byrne MP to keep Security Service personnel within the Bill's scope.
The Hillsborough disaster claimed the lives of 97 innocent fans at the semi-final FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989 at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.
As well as those who lost their lives, over 700 more were injured when the ordered opening of a gate led to an influx of people, overcrowding, and almost 100 people being crushed to death.
The fresh inquests into the disaster concluded on April 26, 2016 with a verdict of unlawful killing, after the initial verdicts of accidental death were quashed.
Colum Eastwood MP said: "The Hillsborough families have carried an unimaginable burden for decades, not only grieving those they loved, but having to fight institutions that should have been helping them uncover the truth. Their determination has brought about this legislation and will leave a lasting legacy for victims and bereaved families across these islands.
"For far too long, the vested interests of the state have been allowed to override the needs of victims and survivors seeking the truth. In Derry, we know only too well what happens when the state closes ranks instead of accepting responsibility. The bond between the Hillsborough families and the Bloody Sunday families has always been built on the shared belief that truth should never have to be fought for. They have stood shoulder to shoulder in pursuit of justice because they understand the devastating cost when the state fails in its duty to be honest with victims.
"The duty of candour is the least we should expect of those who serve the public. I remain concerned by attempts to place the Security Services beyond the reach of this legislation. Our own experience has shown why no part of the state should be beyond the same standards of openness and accountability. Victims deserve the truth regardless of which arm of the state they are confronting.”