Hillsborough Law campaigners say they cannot back proposed bill

"The families of victims of the Manchester Arena bombing say they cannot support the current form of a new law being designed to stop cover-ups. Campaigners met Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday in Parliament to press their case that the Hillsborough Law should apply to individual employees of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ and leave no public authority exempt."

"A public inquiry found MI5 had not given an "accurate picture" of the key intelligence it held on the suicide bomber who carried out the arena attack, which killed 22 people and injured hundreds. The Hillsborough Law Now campaign has warned that the draft legislation in its current form could allow intelligence chiefs "to hide serious failures behind a vague claim of national security"."

"The government has tabled amendments to the draft law, formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, that would place the same "duty of candour" on security service personnel as other public servants. But MI5, MI6 and GCHQ chiefs would have the power to "review and determine whether or how" to provide any information supplied by agents to inquiries or investigations, under the amendments."

Families of Manchester Arena bombing victims say they cannot support the current form of proposed legislation intended to prevent cover-ups. Campaigners asked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to ensure the Hillsborough Law applies to individual MI5, MI6 and GCHQ employees with no public authority exempt. Bereaved relatives argued MI5 failed them after a 2017 inquiry found the service did not give an "accurate picture" of key intelligence on the suicide bomber. Campaigners warned draft wording could let intelligence chiefs hide failures behind vague national-security claims. Government amendments would impose a duty of candour but allow security chiefs to review disclosures.

Read at www.bbc.com