Andy Burnham has joined fellow politicians and campaigners in once again calling for the introduction of a new ‘Hillsborough Law’.
Following the airing of hit ITV drama Anne starring Bolton-born actress Maxine Peake, which captivated audiences by telling the story of Anne Williams – who’s son Kevin was one of 96 Liverpool fans who lost their lives in the tragic event on the Leppings Lane terrace at the Sheffield stadium in 1989, and so she became a key campaigner for justice – the Mayor of Greater Manchester is now calling for a “fundamental reform”.
Mr Burnham paid tribute to the programme – in which he himself was depicted as a character, portrayed by actor Matthew McNulty – before saying that the current legal system is “cruel” for bereaved families.
The Mayor said he will be joining campaigners and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram on Friday to demand change after repeating their support for the law’s introduction.
Unfamiliar with the ‘Hillsborough Law’ and what it’s calling for?
The law – which was first brought to Parliament by Andy Burnham himself back in 2017 when he was an MP – would bring in a number of measures, including giving bereaved families better access to money for legal representation at inquests, and forcing public authorities to tell the truth during legal proceedings.
Mr Burnham says a change in the law is urgently needed to stop “a pattern” of a lack of candour “repeating itself”.
Speaking from the heart in a new campaign video shared to social media, Mr Burnham – who is an Everton fan, but has been has repeatedly scathing about the way the Hillsborough families have been treated by the legal system during their three-decade long fight for justice – said: “If we had a Hillsborough Law, it would make this country a place where truth and justice are more likely to happen.
“The lack of fairness in the system has meant we constantly see the same mistakes of history repeating themselves.
“We’ve seen what’s happened to the Hillsborough families, but also the families that have suffered from the contaminated blood scandal, and today, families fighting for justice for Grenfell.
“This is a pattern that keeps on repeating itself, and until we have a Hillsborough Law, that pattern won’t be broken.”
Read more:New Hillsborough disaster drama Anne will air on ITV this weekend
ITV drama Anne tells the story of the Hillsborough disaster through the eyes of bereaved mother Anne Williams / Credit: ITV
He added in his press briefing this afternoon that: “The Hillsborough Law is shorthand for a comprehensive, fundamental reform of the legal and criminal justice system, to level up the scales of justice in favour of bereaved families.”
Mr Burnham said the government also had a role to play in responding to a report issued several years ago that outlines the experiences of the Hillsborough families in their fight for justice.
The report made a number of recommendations for legal changes.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester added that: “People have been touched by Anne’s story, moved by what they have seen, and by the way, this will continue to go on until the system is fundamentally changed.
“Friday will be a major intervention with people from all walks of life coming together to make the call for a Hillsborough Law now.”
More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.
The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.
The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.
The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).
Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.
Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.
What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.
“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.
“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”
Council publishes list of central Manchester roads set to be resurfaced this summer
Emily Sergeant
A list of roads in Manchester that are set to be resurfaced before the summer is out has been published.
Manchester City Council recently asked residents in the region what their priorities were for their community and what issues they wanted to see tackled – and for many, the answer was the quality of the road surfaces.
Since then, the Council says it has been ‘engaged’ in a long-running programme of improvement works throughout the borough.
Now, with just over a month of the summer season left, it has been confirmed that some vital resurfacing works are due to start over the coming weeks in north and central Manchester, bringing a range of improvements to key district roads along with it.
First up, from Saturday 9 August, Hollinwood Avenue is to be resurfaced.
The Council has published a list of Manchester roads that are set to be resurfaced this summer / Credit: MJ Richardson (via Geograph)
Anticipated to take six weeks to complete, this work will be carried out during weekend closures from 8am-5pm, with the road remaining open during the working week.
The closure area will be between Greengates Roundabout and the Oldham boundary at Owler Lane, and a signed diversion route will be in place while work is carried out, and access for residents will be maintained at all times.
Then, starting from Saturday 16 August, resurfacing works will begin on Moss Lane East, between Alexandra Road and Princess Road.
Work will take place between 7am and 5pm on weekdays, and 8am and 5pm on weekends, and during the works, the road will be completely closed – with a signed diversion route in place and access for residents maintained.
As always, disruption is expected and the public is encouraged to plan ahead / Credit: Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
These works are expected to take six weeks to complete, and as with all resurfacing projects, residents should expect some disruption and may need to plan ahead.
The Council is aiming to keep disruption to the public at a minimum, where possible.
“We know how important it is to our residents that key roads are well maintained, which is why were glad to be able to deliver this latest round of improvement works,” commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“I’d like to thank people ahead of time for their patience during the course of these works and would advise them to check when closures will be in place and where the diversions are.”
You can find more information on the resurfacing works on the Council website here.
Emily Sergeant -
6th January 2022 
