Mum says Hillsborough Law 'for ordinary people'

Margaret Aspinall appeared on stage at Labour's party conference in Liverpool

A woman whose son died in the Hillsborough disaster has said the introduction of a new law aimed at preventing state cover-ups was "not about politics" but about helping ordinary people.

Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the 1989 tragedy, was given a standing ovation as she appeared at Labour's party conference in Liverpool ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's speech.

She has been a key campaigner for the long-awaited 'Hillsborough Law', intended to make sure the authorities face criminal sanctions if they attempt to cover up the facts behind disasters.

She said the prime minister had "kept his word" by introducing the bill but warned it must be brought in "in all its entirety".

She said: "It's not about what politics you believe in, or who you vote for, this was about getting the Hillsborough Law for the ordinary people of this country."

Ms Aspinall said she found the experience "very nerve-wracking", but added, "I'm a person who likes to be truthful and say it as it is".

She said she hoped no other families would go through what she and the other relatives experienced in battling for the true circumstances around the disaster to be uncovered.

Their fight for the truth has taken has been previously been described as a "David and Goliath battle" between ordinary people and the state.

It culminated in the inquests which found the fans who died as a result of a crush were unlawfully killed.

Responding to her speech, the prime minister thanked Ms Aspinall for her campaigning

Charlotte Hennessy, whose father Jimmy was also killed in the disaster, said she was very proud to hear Ms Aspinall speech.

She said: "I've grown up watching Margaret. I was six years old when my dad died.

"So as I became a teenager and started researching what actually happened and then through my 20s, 30s, these Hillsborough families have pretty much brought me up."

She said the campaign would have stalled "if it wasn't for people like Margaret who drag themselves out of bed every day throughout their own grief of losing their child, losing their husband, their wife, partners".

The legislation, introduced in the Commons earlier this month, is formally called the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

It includes a new professional and legal duty of candour, meaning public officials must act with honesty and integrity at all times, with criminal sanctions for severe breaches.

'Stuck together'

Ms Hennessy said she understood many people had doubts about whether the prime minister would make good on his pledge to introduce the legislation.

"We were suspicious as well," she said, and added: "I think we've got to acknowledge and accept that Keir Starmer was the only person to pledge the Hillsborough Law and he's been the only person to fulfil it and see it through."

She said working with the government on the legislation had "not all been plain sailing".

"We've had rows with these people, we've had full on arguments with the Attorney General, you know, and we're not the only ones!"

Ms Aspinall said it was "terrible" that it had taken "ordinary people who've gone through so much" to challenge the power of the state.

She said: "If we'd have walked away years ago, the inquest verdicts would have stood as accidental death and our (Liverpool) fans would have still been blamed.

"But we were Scousers. We don't give up. We know what's right, what's proper, what's just. And we stuck together.

"I'm proud of my city, I'm proud of my people. And that to me that's what matters to me - to do the right thing for them."

After her speech the prime minister said Hillsborough campaigners including Ms Aspinall had "served a degree of justice for the 97".

"But also for thousands of people that you will never know and you will never meet who will never now have to go through what you went through," he said.