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”.
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⚖️ HILLSBOROUGH LAW ⚖️
"The scales of justice are weighed against ordinary families…"
Steve and @AndyBurnhamGM have written to every MP asking them to: 1⃣ Support the principle of a Hillsborough Law 2⃣ Support its inclusion in the forthcoming Queen's Speech pic.twitter.com/BYjeTgju5z
— Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region (@LCRMayor) April 14, 2022
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.
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.
Hillsborough is NOT an exception.
There are echoes of it in ongoing inquiries, such as Grenfell and Manchester Arena.
On the eve of the 33rd anniversary, please support our call for a #HillsboroughLawNow.
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.
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“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.
Victim named and murder investigation launched after young woman is killed in Newton Heath stabbing
Emily Sergeant
The victim of a street stabbing in Newton Heath this week has been named for the first time as a murder investigation continues.
It comes after officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to reports of a disturbance at around 2am yesterday (Thursday 15 October) on Dorking Avenue, in the Newton Heath area of Manchester, and when they arrived on the scene, they found a woman in her 20s with serious injuries that were ‘consistent with a stabbing’.
Despite best efforts of all emergency services involved, the young woman was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
As the murder investigation progresses, the woman has now been publicly named and a photo of her has been released for the first time.
She has been named as 26-year-old Alisha Samuels.
At this time, one man, aged 25, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and a man and woman, aged 61 and 38, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and they all remain in custody – with officers continuing their enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident.
Alisha’s family have asked for privacy whilst they deal with the devastating loss of their loved one, GMP has stated.
“We are continuing to urge people who may have information in relation to this incident to please come forward to support our investigation and bring justice for Alisha,” the police force said in a public appeal.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or has mobile phone, CCTV, or doorbell footage, is urged to call GMP on 0161 856 5464, or contact them via the Major Incident Public Portal here.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Featured Image – GMP (Family Handout)
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Former supply teacher jailed for multiple upskirting and AI sex offences across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A former supply teacher has been jailed for multiple upskirting and AI sex offences in schools across Greater Manchester.
Abusali Rahman – a British national of Bangladeshi ethnicity from Salford – appeared in Bolton Crown Court this week for his sentencing after first being charged with, and then pleading guilty to, several offences.
The offences are including, but not limited to, 12 counts of taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child (images obtained by upskirting), three counts of making indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child (making AI-generated images), and one count of attempting to meet girl under 16 following sexual grooming.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between December 2023 and June 2025, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
Twelve girls have been identified in relation to the upskirting offences – aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the alleged offending – at seven high schools in three Greater Manchester boroughs (Bury, Bolton, and Salford).
GMP says it has remained in close contact with the schools, local authorities, and other partners throughout the investigation to ensure all appropriate support is in place for those who need it.
Additionally, the court also heard how Rahman amassed a collection of images of young girls, using AI and other methods to sexualise them.
The images numbered more than 300 in total, ranging from Category A to Category C classifications, and Rahman would post these on social media, often alongside humiliating and disgusting captions.
Rahman was sentenced to six years in prison, and will also be subject to a 20-year Sexual Harm Protection Order.
A former supply teacher has been jailed for child sex offences in schools across Greater Manchester / Credit: GMP
Detective Constable Lisa McGaffin, from GMP’s Bolton Child Protection Team, described Rahman’s crimes as ‘absolutely abhorrent’.
“My thoughts throughout this process have always been with the young girls who have been subject to such indignity,” DC McGaffin said following the sentencing this week. “Their welfare and support will always be a priority for us.
“While working as a teacher – someone who young children should trust and be safe with – Rahman repeatedly took secret photos for his own sick gratification, before posting images online which showed his total disregard for the girls’ respect and dignity.
Emily Sergeant -
14th April 2022 
