The UK government has officially missed its own deadline to introduce the long-promised Hillsborough Law, which includes a statutory duty of candour—a legal obligation for public officials to tell the truth during court proceedings and public inquiries.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had pledged to enact this legislation by 15 April 2025, marking the 36th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. But as of 15 May, no such law has been introduced.
Instead, victims and campaigners have been left with silence and a growing sense of déjà vu: truth delayed, yet again.
What Is the “Duty of Candour”?
The statutory duty of candour is a simple but transformative idea: public servants must tell the truth. Not just in theory, but in practice—especially in the high-stakes contexts of public inquiries and court proceedings.
The law is designed to address the institutional cover-ups that have followed tragedies like Hillsborough, Grenfell, and the infected blood scandal—where survivors and bereaved families had to fight for decades just to be heard.
In short: it’s not about new rules. It’s about stopping the lies.
A Missed Deadline—and a Missed Opportunity?
The government’s failure to publish the legislation on time has stirred anger and alarm. Campaigners now fear not just delay, but dilution. Reports suggest that the legal force of the duty of candour may be watered down—risking a repeat of past whitewashes where truth was treated as optional.
This comes at a time when trust in public institutions is already fractured. As Lord Mann stated at the Investment Fraud Committee summit in the Commons this week:
“Too many laws are passed when there is no need, and those that should be passed fall by the wayside. Let us fervently hope the duty of candour doesn’t fall at the final fence.”
But with no bill, and no clarity, that’s exactly where things stand.
Institutional Evasion in Plain Sight
The lived experiences of victims—particularly of financial crime—highlight why this law is needed urgently.
- Action Fraud routinely refuses to investigate frauds under £10,000.
- Evidence cannot be submitted to Action Fraud.
- Victims have been branded ‘vexatious’ for demanding accountability.
- The FCA has closed off communication after issuing flawed responses.
- Regulators offer templated replies with no names or recourse.
One campaigner summed it up starkly:
“If Action Fraud was run by any organisation other than the police, it would be classed as a scam site.”
These aren’t edge cases. They are the norm.
A Culture of Cover-Up?
Campaigners have drawn attention to the recent resignations of senior figures—Sir Jim Harra (HMRC), Sara Lawson KC (SFO), and Paul Philip (SRA)—noting the curious timing. Are these routine retirements, or strategic exits before a new legal era of accountability?
The perception is clear: those in power are protecting themselves—not the public.
As one correspondent noted:
“A conveyor belt of financial and human abuse disguised as a regulated trading environment.”
What Needs to Happen Now
It’s not too late to do the right thing—but it must be done right:
- Publish the full Hillsborough Law without delay.
- Enforce a criminally binding duty of candour for all public officials.
- Ensure independent oversight and enforcement—not internal policing.
- Protect whistleblowers and victims.
- Apply the law retroactively to ongoing and past inquiries.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t just about Hillsborough. Or Grenfell. Or pensions, fraud, or infected blood. It’s about how the state treats its people when the truth is inconvenient.
The government’s failure to meet its own deadline on the Hillsborough Law speaks volumes.
The victims spoke. The country listened. The government promised.
And then—it blinked.
If we want a society where justice is more than a slogan, the duty of candour must not be buried by delay, diluted by compromise, or denied by silence.
To support the fight for truth, justice, and institutional transparency, join the Transparency Task Force or register with the Get SAFE initiative (Support After Financial Exploitation). Our next free “Rebuild & Thrive” cohort for victims of financial crime begins Monday 2nd June at 6:00 PM.
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