Fantastically detailed piece Lisa. I stuck with it to the end. I believe those in certain positions will always cover their back sides and try to blame others. So it comes as no surprise that the most corrupt government of all time would not put this law in place. Despite the truth coming out some people still blame the fans. I’m hoping Prince Harry will see all those crappy tabloids off especially that particular one, I can’t say that papers name without feeling pure anger.
Dec 19, 2023·edited Dec 19, 2023Liked by Abi Whistance
Great piece, but as emotive as Hillsborough is, all these years later I would like to see more metaphorical and editorial guns aimed at the lawyers who, on squillions an hour, keep this appalling gravy train rolling to no one's benefit but their own, and then swan off back to London before the next one. The *entire* legal system is based around whether or not we believe someone is lying or not. Clearly, in Hillsborough, they were. Equally clearly, the liars were never going to admit it, other than Duckenfield's despicably late admission. The difference, surely, is establishment involvement. If fans really were responsible for the disaster, which they very were not, then the establishment, having tried their hardest to say otherwise, had no one left to blame. And god forbid they would ever take a look at themselves. So let's have an inquiry, which will be a whitewash. Write a report, which will be spun. Learn lessons, which won't be. And then carry on, and on, and on, and on, charging by the hour.
I remember a former version of the Labour Party promising a full inquiry into Hillsborough - and Jack Straw giving it the thumbs down. Not that I'm cynical or anything...
But clearly this should be a law. At this point, it's not about revisiting the past and apportioning blame, it's about protecting future generations from the pain and heartache the Families have suffered. Here's hoping it happens.
This, as you say, is not abut apportioning blame, but it is about getting those resposnible for the miscarriage to admit their part, and also to bring justice to the bereaved and the surviors. The usual trick with things like this, is to keep it under lock & key, in some dusty, dingy archive, along with countless other reports, some going back over a hundred years, then eventually (depending on the nature of the original inquiry) release some titbits from it, when the time is appropriate, from the National Archives, which is then seized upon by the National Press, as though it's some kind film or theatre preview.
Thing is though, this has happened time and time again in my lifetime, Profumo, Aberfan, the Piper Alpha North Sea Oil Rig, The MV Derbyshire, the Summerland fire, Hillsbourough, and, more recently, the Grenfell Tower Block.
I also remember the promise that was made about the full inquiry, but also remember the side issue of the then Home Secrtetary's son being caught in a media "Sting" whereby he was set up/coerced by two female reporters, into buying drugs (canabis as it happens) on the pretext of going to a party.
It did actually cross my at the time that this was just pure coincidence, and had nothing whatsoever to do with the Hillsborough Review, but in the end, after an immense and exhausting battle, my cynicism won though and convinced me otherwise. Not sure if the
outcome would have been any different if this had happened in a different City , at a Different ground and a different Police Force. But I Remember discussing this with a mate, and as he said "The thing is, SYP, are seen by Thatcher and the Tories, as The Guardians Of The Flame, a sort of modern Day version of the knights Templar. They had Basically saved her & her Party's arses during the Miner's strike, so they needed a favour calling in, and duly set about recalling those IOU's which had been so willingly handed out just over five years ago"
It will be extremely intersting to see what Labour actually do in order to enable a Hilsborough Law to become Statute, but given the tales I've been reading over the past few months, about them cosying up with various Consultancies, I'm not getting to carried away.
Finally, Thanks you very much Lisa for a great article, extremely detailed as necessary, but still very readable, well done
Very good point about SYP and corrupt quid pro quos. The other point being Thatcher and her government despised Liverpool for its staunch Labour and union support.
I'm sorry but I think the labour party will not back it I'm also sorry that members of the Hillsborough families took there nesals from the establishment who for so long have blocked any justice
The only people ever finally prosecuted had their cases thrown out by a judge quoting legal technicalities as a a justification.
A “charter” means nothing more than a pointless corporate value statement. It’s just another example of obstruction in the fight for justice.
The establishment doesn’t want a law because they know they’d be on the wrong side of it.
Time for Steve Rotheram to introduce the topic of reparations for the structural disadvantage the city suffered, through being wrongly denigrated over a sustained period of time. This cost us billions in inward investment, led to direct discrimination against employees and in turn led to us being wrongly spurned by government and business alike. The UK government is responsible for that, and should be required to inject effort and several billions into the city economy to repair the damage.
Amazing piece Lisa
Thanks Abi!
Fantastically detailed piece Lisa. I stuck with it to the end. I believe those in certain positions will always cover their back sides and try to blame others. So it comes as no surprise that the most corrupt government of all time would not put this law in place. Despite the truth coming out some people still blame the fans. I’m hoping Prince Harry will see all those crappy tabloids off especially that particular one, I can’t say that papers name without feeling pure anger.
Thanks Carolyn, glad you stuck with it!
Great piece, but as emotive as Hillsborough is, all these years later I would like to see more metaphorical and editorial guns aimed at the lawyers who, on squillions an hour, keep this appalling gravy train rolling to no one's benefit but their own, and then swan off back to London before the next one. The *entire* legal system is based around whether or not we believe someone is lying or not. Clearly, in Hillsborough, they were. Equally clearly, the liars were never going to admit it, other than Duckenfield's despicably late admission. The difference, surely, is establishment involvement. If fans really were responsible for the disaster, which they very were not, then the establishment, having tried their hardest to say otherwise, had no one left to blame. And god forbid they would ever take a look at themselves. So let's have an inquiry, which will be a whitewash. Write a report, which will be spun. Learn lessons, which won't be. And then carry on, and on, and on, and on, charging by the hour.
I remember a former version of the Labour Party promising a full inquiry into Hillsborough - and Jack Straw giving it the thumbs down. Not that I'm cynical or anything...
But clearly this should be a law. At this point, it's not about revisiting the past and apportioning blame, it's about protecting future generations from the pain and heartache the Families have suffered. Here's hoping it happens.
Great piece, Lisa <3
This, as you say, is not abut apportioning blame, but it is about getting those resposnible for the miscarriage to admit their part, and also to bring justice to the bereaved and the surviors. The usual trick with things like this, is to keep it under lock & key, in some dusty, dingy archive, along with countless other reports, some going back over a hundred years, then eventually (depending on the nature of the original inquiry) release some titbits from it, when the time is appropriate, from the National Archives, which is then seized upon by the National Press, as though it's some kind film or theatre preview.
Thing is though, this has happened time and time again in my lifetime, Profumo, Aberfan, the Piper Alpha North Sea Oil Rig, The MV Derbyshire, the Summerland fire, Hillsbourough, and, more recently, the Grenfell Tower Block.
I also remember the promise that was made about the full inquiry, but also remember the side issue of the then Home Secrtetary's son being caught in a media "Sting" whereby he was set up/coerced by two female reporters, into buying drugs (canabis as it happens) on the pretext of going to a party.
It did actually cross my at the time that this was just pure coincidence, and had nothing whatsoever to do with the Hillsborough Review, but in the end, after an immense and exhausting battle, my cynicism won though and convinced me otherwise. Not sure if the
outcome would have been any different if this had happened in a different City , at a Different ground and a different Police Force. But I Remember discussing this with a mate, and as he said "The thing is, SYP, are seen by Thatcher and the Tories, as The Guardians Of The Flame, a sort of modern Day version of the knights Templar. They had Basically saved her & her Party's arses during the Miner's strike, so they needed a favour calling in, and duly set about recalling those IOU's which had been so willingly handed out just over five years ago"
It will be extremely intersting to see what Labour actually do in order to enable a Hilsborough Law to become Statute, but given the tales I've been reading over the past few months, about them cosying up with various Consultancies, I'm not getting to carried away.
Finally, Thanks you very much Lisa for a great article, extremely detailed as necessary, but still very readable, well done
Very good point about SYP and corrupt quid pro quos. The other point being Thatcher and her government despised Liverpool for its staunch Labour and union support.
I'm sorry but I think the labour party will not back it I'm also sorry that members of the Hillsborough families took there nesals from the establishment who for so long have blocked any justice
The only people ever finally prosecuted had their cases thrown out by a judge quoting legal technicalities as a a justification.
A “charter” means nothing more than a pointless corporate value statement. It’s just another example of obstruction in the fight for justice.
The establishment doesn’t want a law because they know they’d be on the wrong side of it.
Time for Steve Rotheram to introduce the topic of reparations for the structural disadvantage the city suffered, through being wrongly denigrated over a sustained period of time. This cost us billions in inward investment, led to direct discrimination against employees and in turn led to us being wrongly spurned by government and business alike. The UK government is responsible for that, and should be required to inject effort and several billions into the city economy to repair the damage.