Bereaved families and Pete Weatherby KC call on Government to include security services in Hillsborough Law’s Duty of Candour

14 January 2026

Garden Court North’s Pete Weatherby KC (pictured) spoke on BBC Breakfast today (14 January 2025) alongside Caroline Curry and Lisa Rutherford, who lost their son and daughter in the Manchester Arena bombing. Credit: BBC Breakfast.

Bereaved families from the Hillsborough disaster and Manchester Arena bombing have called on the Government to remove the exemption for security services in Hillsborough Law’s Duty of Candour.

Hillsborough Law was originally scheduled for its third reading today, but has been delayed as bereaved families and legal experts meet with the Prime Minister to discuss the Amendment, which has cross-party support. The Bill will now be returned on Monday (19 January).

Garden Court North’s Pete Weatherby KC, who co-wrote Hillsborough Law and is Director of Hillsborough Law Now, said the “Government and Prime Minister need to stand up and put this right”.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast earlier today (14 January 2025), Pete called on Government to adopt the amendment put forward by Ian Byrne MP within Hillsborough Law, officially known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.

Amendment 23 would prevent security services from misleading public inquiries, as happened during the Manchester Arena Inquiry when MI5 officials did not reveal intelligence they held about the attacker.

“There is a culture of denial and security services think they are above the law”, Pete said. “What we’re asking the Government to do is adopt that amendment and put the problem right”.

Pete represented bereaved families at both inquiries into the Manchester Arena bombing and Hillsborough disaster, which found that 97 Liverpool Football Club fans were unlawfully killed. In the aftermath, South Yorkshire Police promulgated a false narrative about disorderly behaviour from fans and an carried out institutional cover-up about its negligent policing.

“The Duty of Candour, that the Government to their great credit has put forward in this Bill with public authorities and public servants has to apply fully to the security services and those who work for them, subject – of course – to national security safeguards”, Pete concluded on BBC Breakfast.

Following discussions over Amendment 23, Hillsborough Law will be returned for its third reading in the House of Commons. Once approved, it will move to the House of Lords.

Additional media

BBC News – Cover-up law delayed after concerns it will not apply fully to MI5

The Guardian – Hillsborough law to be delayed over security services concerns

Garden Court North Chambers – A Duty of Candour, Duty to Assist, and Legal Funding for Bereaved Families: Hillsborough Law to be presented in Parliament

For further information, please contact Alex Blair, Communications Manager at Garden Court North Chambers: ablair@gcnchambers.co.uk