Belated Tributes To Hillsborough Victims In Commons:
The House Of Commons has debated the controversy surrounding the government's delay in releasing confidential Cabinet papers relating to the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster.
The debate was watched by many of the relatives of the 96 Liverpool fans crushed to death at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium.
Triggered by a government e-petition that has attracted more than 130,000 signatures since it was set up over the summer, the debate was led by Steve Rotheram, Labour MP for Liverpool Walton.
Rotheram said the Thatcher government at the time of the disaster had briefed against the fans. Describing the alleged briefings as "a convenient excuse to aggregate responsibility," Rotheram then proceeded to read out the names of every person killed in the disaster.
He said he was doing this because the names had never been officially entered into the Parliamentary register before. Around 20 people in the public gallery had travelled to the commons to watch the debate. Many of them were clearly emotional as the names and their ages were slowly read out by Rotheram over the course of five minutes.
"Rest in peace, Justice for the 96," he said before sitting down to unconventional applause from several MPs in the chamber and virtually everyone sitting in the public gallery.
Responding for the government, Home Secretary Theresa may paid tribute to Steve Rotheram, and to the support that people on Merseyside have given to the campaign over more than 20 years. "I will do everything in my power to ensure the families and the public get the truth," she said, promising that no government papers would be withheld from the Hillsborough Panel.
However May didn't give a timescale for the release of the Hillsborough files to the relatives of the victims, saying "It is difficult sensitive and lengthly work and it cannot be rushed."
But the Home Secretary apologised to the families for the way the government had responded to their requests for the files to be released. The government had appealed against a decision by the Information Commissioner to release them earlier this year, creating a common impression that ministers were trying to suppress the files.
The government insists it always planned to release the files to the families, but only once they had gone through the Hillsborough Panel currently investigating all aspects of the disaster.
Theresa May promised that once the files were released - to the relatives first, then the media - there would be "only minimal redaction" to protect junior government officials and the details of family members.
Responding for the Labour front bench, Andy Burnham told MPs that there had been an "orchestrated campaign at Westminster to set the public against the supporters" shortly after the tragedy, which he described as one of the biggest injustices of the 20th century.
He also referred to a story run by The Sun newspaper shortly after Hillsborough, where the paper claimed Liverpool fans had pick-pocketed from the victims - a story the paper has since accepted was untrue.
Andy Burnham suggested that the Hillsborough Panel should consider asking News International to divulge how it came to publish its story, adding that people's views of this story may well have changed in the light of the phone hacking scandal.
MPs are due to debate the Hillsborough files until late on Monday evening, when a motion to release the files is expected to be carried unopposed.
Steve Rotheram MP's speech in the debate can be found on here on the Liverpool Echo website
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The House Of Commons has debated the controversy surrounding the government's delay in releasing confidential Cabinet papers relating to the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster.
The debate was watched by many of the relatives of the 96 Liverpool fans crushed to death at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium.
Triggered by a government e-petition that has attracted more than 130,000 signatures since it was set up over the summer, the debate was led by Steve Rotheram, Labour MP for Liverpool Walton.
Rotheram said the Thatcher government at the time of the disaster had briefed against the fans. Describing the alleged briefings as "a convenient excuse to aggregate responsibility," Rotheram then proceeded to read out the names of every person killed in the disaster.
He said he was doing this because the names had never been officially entered into the Parliamentary register before. Around 20 people in the public gallery had travelled to the commons to watch the debate. Many of them were clearly emotional as the names and their ages were slowly read out by Rotheram over the course of five minutes.
"Rest in peace, Justice for the 96," he said before sitting down to unconventional applause from several MPs in the chamber and virtually everyone sitting in the public gallery.
Responding for the government, Home Secretary Theresa may paid tribute to Steve Rotheram, and to the support that people on Merseyside have given to the campaign over more than 20 years. "I will do everything in my power to ensure the families and the public get the truth," she said, promising that no government papers would be withheld from the Hillsborough Panel.
However May didn't give a timescale for the release of the Hillsborough files to the relatives of the victims, saying "It is difficult sensitive and lengthly work and it cannot be rushed."
But the Home Secretary apologised to the families for the way the government had responded to their requests for the files to be released. The government had appealed against a decision by the Information Commissioner to release them earlier this year, creating a common impression that ministers were trying to suppress the files.
The government insists it always planned to release the files to the families, but only once they had gone through the Hillsborough Panel currently investigating all aspects of the disaster.
Theresa May promised that once the files were released - to the relatives first, then the media - there would be "only minimal redaction" to protect junior government officials and the details of family members.
Responding for the Labour front bench, Andy Burnham told MPs that there had been an "orchestrated campaign at Westminster to set the public against the supporters" shortly after the tragedy, which he described as one of the biggest injustices of the 20th century.
He also referred to a story run by The Sun newspaper shortly after Hillsborough, where the paper claimed Liverpool fans had pick-pocketed from the victims - a story the paper has since accepted was untrue.
Andy Burnham suggested that the Hillsborough Panel should consider asking News International to divulge how it came to publish its story, adding that people's views of this story may well have changed in the light of the phone hacking scandal.
MPs are due to debate the Hillsborough files until late on Monday evening, when a motion to release the files is expected to be carried unopposed.
Steve Rotheram MP's speech in the debate can be found on here on the Liverpool Echo website
This is our opinion and feelings about the the posts added to this blog by ourselves and writers who have asked to write on our blog network and does not necessarily represent our agreement or disagreement with the writers concerned.
Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/ad144000hoe
Thank you,
Ian
