Families of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing have expressed their opposition to the current iteration of a proposed law intended to prevent cover-ups in public inquiries.
Campaigners met with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in Parliament on Wednesday to advocate for the Hillsborough Law to encompass individual employees of MI5, MI6, and GCHQ, ensuring no public authority is exempt.
Last week, families bereaved by the 2017 arena attack conveyed to Starmer their concerns regarding alleged failures by MI5, insisting that the proposed legislation fully apply to security services.
Following their meeting, the families stated that the Prime Minister had not adequately addressed their concerns.
A public inquiry previously determined that MI5 had not provided an “accurate picture” of crucial intelligence pertaining to the suicide bomber responsible for the attack, which resulted in the deaths of 22 people and injuries to hundreds more.
The Hillsborough Law Now campaign has cautioned that the draft legislation, as it stands, could enable intelligence chiefs “to hide serious failures behind a vague claim of national security.”
The government has introduced amendments to the draft law, formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, which would extend the same “duty of candour” to security service personnel as is expected of other public servants.
However, under these amendments, the heads of MI5, MI6, and GCHQ would retain the authority to “review and determine whether or how” to disclose information provided by agents to inquiries or investigations.
Government sources have stated that while they deeply respect the families, they have gone as far as possible without jeopardizing national security and that the security services would be subjected to unprecedented scrutiny.
A government spokesman told the BBC: “We have listened to their concerns on how the duty of candour will apply to the security services and we will continue to work with them to make the bill as strong as it can possibly be, while never compromising on national security.”
Ruth Leney, who chairs the Manchester Arena Support Network, acknowledged that the Prime Minister had “listened” during their meeting on Wednesday, but added, “It’s not the outcome that we expected.”
“It’s got to be all or nothing, they can’t water down anything, especially with the security services,” she stated.
She added: “We can’t trust the bill if not everybody is accountable to it.”
Caroline Curry, whose 19-year-old son Liam Curry was killed in the bombing, expressed her “devastation” regarding the amendments to the bill and conveyed a sense of being misled.
“We can’t bring our children back, they’re gone,” she said.
“But what we can do is try to stand up for other people and try to protect their children.”
“It’s not what they agreed and what they promised,” said Lisa Rutherford, whose 17-year-old daughter Chloe Rutherford was also killed.
“They have said that they will go away and have another look but we are not hopeful,” she added. “All we want is honesty.”
“The government is in danger of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory,” said Pete Weatherby KC, a director of the Hillsborough Law Now campaign, which is assisting with the bill.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour MP Anneliese Midgley accused MI5 of spending “six years misleading the public and concealing information” about the arena bombing.
In response, Sir Keir stated his determination not to “water down” the legislation, arguing that the government’s proposed amendments would “strengthen” it.
“It is right that there are essential safeguards in place to protect national security, and we’ve got that balance right,” Starmer said at PMQs.
The bill is a result of campaigning by families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that claimed 97 lives.
Police leaders were found to have disseminated false narratives about the disaster, blaming Liverpool fans and concealing evidence of their own failings.
The government has confirmed that the remaining stages of the bill will take place next Monday, instead of Wednesday, allowing time for changes to be considered.
A government source told the BBC the delay would allow further “tweaking” of the bill to address issues raised by MPs.
Liverpool Labour MP Ian Byrne – a long-standing Hillsborough campaigner – said he plans to press ahead with his own amendment, which would fully apply the law to the security services, unless the government was willing to change its position.
About 30 Labour MPs have so far publicly backed Byrne’s amendment.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said on Tuesday: “This government will not bring forward legislation that would put the national security of the UK or lives at risk.”
“On Friday, we brought forward a series of amendments to address concerns that the bill did not apply to individual employees of the intelligence agencies. But we’re determined to get this right.”
Luke Myer says if politicians deliberately lie to the public, “there should be consequences”.
The law would create a new legal duty on public bodies to tell the truth during investigations.
The law follows campaigning by families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that claimed 97 lives.
Children hurt in the 2017 attack will receive between £2,770 and £11.4m in damages, a judge rules.
Great Dunmow Carnival’s organisers said new security laws will cost them an extra £4,000.