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Northern mayors urge MPs to back ‘Hillsborough Law’ ahead of disaster’s anniversary
Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram say it's time to "level up the scales of justice".
Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram have written a letter to MPs urging them to back the proposed ‘Hillsborough Law’.
The letter has been written on the eve of the disaster’s 33rd anniversary.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Mayor first joined forces at the start of 2022 to back the proposed ‘Hillsborough Law’ that calls for a “fundamental reform” and seeks to support the families of the 97 Liverpool fans who lost their lives in the tragic event on the Leppings Lane terrace at the Sheffield stadium on 15 April 1989.
The pair have now renewed their calls for fairer treatment for those bereaved in their letter to 650 MPs, and are calling for changes to the justice system to prevent others going through the same “unnecessary trauma” endured by Hillsborough families.
Mr Burnham now says it’s time to “level up the scales of justice”.
The Hillsborough Law was first brought to Parliament by Andy Burnham himself back in 2017 when he was an MP, and proposes a number of measures be introduced – including giving bereaved families better access to money for legal representation at inquests, and forcing public authorities to tell the truth during legal proceedings.
Read more: Andy Burnham joins campaign calling for the introduction of a new ‘Hillsborough Law’
The Mayor of Greater Manchester said a change in the law is urgently needed to stop “a pattern” of a lack of candour “repeating itself”.
Now, in this latest letter to MPs, Mr Burnham and Mr Rotheram said the “story of Hillsborough goes well beyond football rivalries or party politics”, and said it’s “a story of immense loss, decades-long cover-up and the comprehensive failure of the British legal system to deliver truth, justice and accountability for bereaved families.
The pair also drew similarities and pointed to failings in other recent tragic events too, explaining that: “For families bereaved by more recent events, such as Grenfell and the Manchester Arena attack, the parallels between their experiences and those of the Hillsborough families are already clear.
“The reason why this pattern keeps on repeating is simple.
“The scales of justice are weighed against ordinary families and in favour of public authorities who hold all the power.”
The mayors urged MPs to make a personal commitment to the principle of a comprehensive Hillsborough Law, and they’re now calling on the government to commit to introducing it in next Queen’s Speech.
Featured Image – George Wells (via Instagram)
News
Greater Manchester’s heritage railway issues statement as it’s forced to cancel services this week
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway has been forced to cancel its services this weekend due to the heatwave.
In case you hadn’t heard, Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions.
Current forecasts indicate that the peak temperatures for Greater Manchester this week will be tomorrow and Thursday, with highs of 33°C in the city centre.
Despite not reaching the heights of the south, East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has still had to act in advance and has taken the decision to cancel its scheduled services for the next two days as the forecast is ‘too severe’.
Taking to social media to share its decision today, ELR wrote: “Due to the current weather warning for the UK, the decision has been taken to cancel all services on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th June 2026, including the afternoon tea and mid-week luncheon dining experiences.
“The welfare of both staff and customers is paramount to the ELR, and we believe that the risk in the extreme heat that has been forecast is too severe to allow for the running of our ordinary services.”
As things stand, ELR says its current plan is to have services resume with the evening dining train on Friday 26 June, but this will still be ‘subject to review’, and further updates on this will be issued later in the week.
Read more:
Visitors who have already pre-booked services over the two cancelled days will be contacted via email to have their options explained to them.
“We apologise for any inconvenience,” ELR closed out its statement.
Featured Image – ELR
News
TfGM issues safety warning and advice for travelling on public transport during extreme heat wave – including ‘get off’
Daisy Jackson
Transport for Greater Manchester has urged passengers to ‘stay safe’ when travelling as the city braces for an extreme heatwave this week.
As well as issuing some safety advice, TfGM has also warning that delays and disruption are possible across the network as temperatures climb as high as 36ºC on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Customers are being advised to carry water with them when travelling, and to wear light clothing.
Also included in the travel advice is to ‘get off’ public transport at the next stop if you feel unwell, to seek fresh air.
It’s also advised to allow more time for your journey and to check the latest information and advice before setting off.
And most importantly, passengers are asked to look out for each other, especially those who are vulnerable.
The Bee Network may experience disruption later this week as the overhead lines that power the trams and trains are often adversely affected by high temperatures.
TfGM’s Customer and Growth Director, Fran Wilkinson, said: “Very high temperatures are forecast this week that can affect both people and the transport network.
“We will have staff out to help those who need it, and I would encourage customers to take a few simple steps to stay safe and comfortable while travelling, such as by carrying water, travelling at cooler times of the day and looking out for others.
“Due to the heat, there may be some disruption to Bee Network or local train services and I would encourage people to check for the latest information and advice before making their journey.”
TfGM advice for travelling in heatwave
- Carry water and drink plenty of fluids
- Avoid travelling during the hottest part of the day where possible
- Wear light clothing and stay in the shade
- If you feel unwell while travelling, get off at the next stop and seek fresh air
- Plan your journey, check for the latest information and advice before setting off and allow extra time to make your journey
- Look out for other passengers who may need help, especially those who are more vulnerable
- Bee Network staff will be out across the network to help passengers, who can get the latest travel information and advice by checking the website or app.
Read more
Featured image: The Manc Group
Emily Sergeant -
14th April 2022 
