The government has rejected calls to implement a ‘Hillsborough law’.
Families of the 97 Liverpool fans unlawfully killed had campaigned for the proposed legislation to prevent future police cover-ups as in the 1989 tragedy.
But the decision to turn down the request on Wednesday was in a belated response to the former Bishop of Liverpool’s 2017 report into Hillsborough.
James Jones had published recommendations after charing the Hillsborough Independent Panel, which provided a definitive case on the tragedy’s causes.
His report suggested measures that would prevent police and public body cover-ups while ensuring better conduct towards future bereaved families.
Home secretary James Cleverly and justice minister Alex Chalk said they were ‘deeply sorry’ for the slow response due concerns of prejudicing the trials of several ex-South Yorkshire Police officers, which ended in 2021 without convictions.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak also apologised in the House of Commons.
He said: “The Hillsborough families have suffered multiple injustices and more than 34 years later there can never be too many apologies for what they have been through.
“And I want to repeat that apology today and thank the Hillsborough families for their tenacity, patience and courage.”
However the government has signed a charter for families bereaved through public tragedies in response to the six-point recommendation from Jones’ report.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has previously pledged to implement the plans for a ‘Hillsborough law’ should his party win the next general election.