Hillsborough campaigner to receive 'top honour'

Margaret Aspinall is to be awarded the "highest honour" in Knowsley

A campaigner is to be awarded the "highest honour" in a Merseyside borough, in recognition of her work seeking justice for those impacted by the Hillsborough disaster.

Margaret Aspinall, from Knowsley, will be awarded the Freedom of the Borough for being an advocate for justice and a passionate supporter of a Hillsborough Law, which was confirmed by the government earlier this year.

Ms Aspinall's 18-year-old son James was one of the 97 victims who lost their lives at Hillsborough.

Leader of Knowsley Council Graham Morgan said: "We will be able to formally honour her and recognise the impact of her decades long efforts to fight for justice."

'Inspiration to many'

He added: "Out of something so tragic, and despite her own personal loss, Margaret has shown courage and incredible determination."

The award is reserved for individuals or organisations that have provided "eminent" service to the area and has only been awarded eight other times in the history of the borough, making it the highest possible honour Knowsley can give, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Morgan continued: "She is an inspiration to many and I am sure that the community of Knowsley will be delighted that we are able to honour one of our own in such a way."

Ms Aspinall is set to receive the Freedom of the Borough at a special council meeting in January, which will be the start of an important year for all the Hillsborough Law campaigners.

'Crucial role'

Having spent 35 years campaigning to ensure that "people shouldn't have to fight for justice, justice should fight for people", the Hillsborough Law will officially be introduced.

The law is scheduled to come into effect in April, and will offer significant safeguards to future victims of major disasters and compel public bodies cooperate with investigations, or face potential criminal sanctions.

Morgan added: ""The decades of work and campaigning by Margaret and others involved in developing the Hillsborough Law mean that no family should suffer the torment of injustice in addition to the pain of being caught up in a major disaster, as the Hillsborough families did.

"This is a lasting legacy that has been hard fought for over a long period of time - we can have nothing but admiration for Margaret's crucial role in making it happen."