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Hillsborough campaigners say it is time for the full truth to come out over stadium tragedy that killed 96 Liverpool supporters
As the House of Commons prepares to debate the full disclosure of documents relating to the disaster, the HJC believe they are close to striking a blow for 'people power'
Oct 17, 2011 12:26:00 PM
EXCLUSIVE
By Rob Stewart
Hillsborough Justice Campaign members are hoping to strike a blow for “people power” in the House of Commons when the release of documents into the 1989 stadium disaster that claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool supporters is debated in Parliament on Monday evening.
As MPs prepared to discuss whether or not to release all the documents relating to the tragedy that claimed 96 lives, the HJC insisted that it wanted the papers to be released to the public as a whole rather than the independent panel investigating the events at the Sheffield stadium.
“This is a hugely important day because if it wasn’t for people at grassroots level signing petitions then this debate would not be taking place,” HJC member Sheila Coleman said.
“It is taking place because the Hillsborough Justice Campaign was against the appeal of the Government and opposed it and we got the backing of the country in terms of 140,000 people signing our ePetition.
“There are no two ways about it – this today really is an example of people power. It is the first e-petition to be debated in the House of Commons so it is an historic day and everyone who has signed that petition should remember that they have made history and let’s hope that the outcome is equally historical.”
The Hillsborough Independent Panel was established two years ago to investigate the tragedy but then the Cabinet Office insisted no material should be disclosed before the panel finishes its work next year.
Following a BBC Freedom of Information request, Information Commissioner Christopher Graham ruled a full release of the papers was in the public interest but then the Government appealed against the ruling which means campaigners may have to wait until 2012 to discover the contents of the papers.
Cabinet documents would reveal discussions held by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the days that followed the tragedy that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Sheffield Wednesday's ground, where the club was playing an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
“It seems as though the documents will be made available to the panel but the Hillsborough Justice Campaign wants it to go further than that,” Coleman added.
“We still want the government to withdraw their appeal against the commissioner’s ruling to release the minutes of Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet meeting that took place in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“We want the documents to be brought out into the public domain and not just to be given to the panel. We think it is in the public interest to release the documents when there is a debate in the Commons.
“If the motion is not passed it will go to a vote and that will make it interesting because there are vested interests to make sure that the papers are not brought into the public domain in any shape or form whatsoever.
It comes as the Prime Minister David Cameron pledged his backing for the campaign in an open letter to Labour MP Andy Burnham, who famously spoke at the annual memorial service at Anfield on the 20th anniversary of the tragedy in 2009.
By Rob Stewart
Hillsborough Justice Campaign members are hoping to strike a blow for “people power” in the House of Commons when the release of documents into the 1989 stadium disaster that claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool supporters is debated in Parliament on Monday evening.
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As MPs prepared to discuss whether or not to release all the documents relating to the tragedy that claimed 96 lives, the HJC insisted that it wanted the papers to be released to the public as a whole rather than the independent panel investigating the events at the Sheffield stadium.
“This is a hugely important day because if it wasn’t for people at grassroots level signing petitions then this debate would not be taking place,” HJC member Sheila Coleman said.
“It is taking place because the Hillsborough Justice Campaign was against the appeal of the Government and opposed it and we got the backing of the country in terms of 140,000 people signing our ePetition.
“There are no two ways about it – this today really is an example of people power. It is the first e-petition to be debated in the House of Commons so it is an historic day and everyone who has signed that petition should remember that they have made history and let’s hope that the outcome is equally historical.”
The Hillsborough Independent Panel was established two years ago to investigate the tragedy but then the Cabinet Office insisted no material should be disclosed before the panel finishes its work next year.
Following a BBC Freedom of Information request, Information Commissioner Christopher Graham ruled a full release of the papers was in the public interest but then the Government appealed against the ruling which means campaigners may have to wait until 2012 to discover the contents of the papers.
Cabinet documents would reveal discussions held by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the days that followed the tragedy that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Sheffield Wednesday's ground, where the club was playing an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
“It seems as though the documents will be made available to the panel but the Hillsborough Justice Campaign wants it to go further than that,” Coleman added.
“We still want the government to withdraw their appeal against the commissioner’s ruling to release the minutes of Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet meeting that took place in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“We want the documents to be brought out into the public domain and not just to be given to the panel. We think it is in the public interest to release the documents when there is a debate in the Commons.
“If the motion is not passed it will go to a vote and that will make it interesting because there are vested interests to make sure that the papers are not brought into the public domain in any shape or form whatsoever.
It comes as the Prime Minister David Cameron pledged his backing for the campaign in an open letter to Labour MP Andy Burnham, who famously spoke at the annual memorial service at Anfield on the 20th anniversary of the tragedy in 2009.
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|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
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