MP calls police response to Hillsborough disaster a 'disgrace'

A Member of Parliament from Liverpool has condemned a statement issued by a police organisation that challenged the findings of a newly released report into the Hillsborough disaster.

Ian Byrne, Labour MP for West Derby and a survivor of the 1989 tragedy, wrote a formal complaint to the Police Federation of England & Wales about comments made by the South Yorkshire Police Federation. He criticised both the language and the message of the statement, which dismissed the Independent Office for Police Conducts (IOPC) conclusions.

The federation had claimed the IOPCs long-awaited findings were merely opinion presented as fact and described the investigation as an unnecessary use of public funds.

According to the IOPC report, 12 officers on duty during the fatal overcrowding at Hillsborough Stadium 10 from South Yorkshire and two from West Midlands Police would have faced proceedings for gross misconduct if they were still in active service.

In its response, the South Yorkshire Police Federation argued that the report offered no benefit to those affected by the disaster. It added that a number of former officers, some now deceased and others of advanced age, had not been given the opportunity to formally defend themselves against the allegations. The organisation warned against what it described as a trial by media for its former members.

Despite acknowledging the suffering caused by the tragedy, Byrne stated that the statement showed what he believed to be a longstanding disregard for both the investigation process and the families of the victims. In his letter to the federations chair, he described the wording as disrespectful, arrogant, and dismissive towards survivors and relatives.

He called on the national body to urgently distance itself from the South Yorkshire branchs comments and requested that the statement be removed from all online platforms. Byrne also demanded a formal apology for the additional distress he said the comments had caused.

The Hillsborough disaster resulted in the deaths of 97 football supporters, a tragedy that has been the subject of decades-long campaigns for truth and justice.

Relatives of those who lost their lives also spoke out. Charlotte Hennessey, whose father James was among the victims, rejected claims that officers had no chance to respond during previous proceedings. Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son in the disaster, said the officers had been fortunate to live full lives and called the statement deeply offensive.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said he was shocked when he read the federations comments. He pointed out that the families of the Hillsborough victims had themselves faced intense and unfair scrutiny in the media for many years while trying to clear the names of their loved ones. He added that it was unacceptable, even now, that accountability for the deaths was still being resisted.

Author: Grace Ellison