“I want a Hillsborough Law in all its entirety” Margaret Aspinall addresses MP’s at Labour Party Conference

Margaret Aspinall, who lost her son James in the Hillsborough disaster, has spoken out to ensure Hillsborough Law is brought forward in full, without any dilution.

Speaking at the Labour Party Conference on Tuesday, just ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s keynote speech, Ms Aspinall expressed her gratitude to the PM for keeping his personal promise to introduce legislation aimed at protecting ordinary people from institutional cover-ups. But she was clear: the law must be implemented “in all its entirety.”

“It wasn’t easy. He promised me it would be on April 15. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a Hillsborough Law by April 15. Things get watered down. We don’t want anything watered down,” said Ms Aspinall.

“I want a Hillsborough Law in all its entirety, that is so important.”

The Hillsborough Law, if passed in full, would introduce criminal sanctions for public officials who cover up the truth following major public tragedies. It is designed to prevent future injustices like those suffered by the families of Hillsborough, Grenfell, Windrush, and the Post Office Horizon scandal.

Ms Aspinall recalled her many personal meetings with Sir Keir, both during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions and as Leader of the Opposition, where she repeatedly pressed him to commit to the law.

“I met him numerous times, he phoned me up privately and told me, ‘Margaret, there will be a Hillsborough Law.’ He’s kept his word.”

She acknowledged the political and legislative challenges behind the scenes, but reiterated the importance of continued vigilance, saying there is still “work to do” to ensure the law passes without being weakened.

In response to Ms Aspinall’s words, Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the strength of the Hillsborough families and campaigners, noting the broader significance of the law.

“Even after the unimaginable loss of losing James… with this Hillsborough Law, you and the other families… have served a degree of justice for James, for the 97, but also for thousands of people you will never know — who will never now have to go through what you went through,” he said.

Starmer went further, framing the law as a crucial step in rebuilding trust in public institutions:

“Whether it’s Hillsborough, Windrush, Grenfell, Horizon, grooming gangs, infected blood — the British state has consistently refused to see injustice because of who the victims are. Because they’re working-class, they’re Black, they’re women and girls.”

“We can’t undo the pain, but we can make sure the state will see, the state will listen, the state will be accountable — because now, injustice has no place to hide.”

Find out more about Hillsborough Law here.

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