Hillsborough law faces Labour rebellion after talks with families break down

Talks between the government and bereaved families over how a duty of candour would apply to serving intelligence officers have broken down, and some Labour MPs say they may oppose the bill.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer met bereaved families to discuss the government's proposed Hillsborough law, which would impose a duty of candour on public officials and contractors after disasters. Families said talks broke down over how that duty would apply to serving intelligence officers. They object to proposals that would allow intelligence service directors discretion over whether individual officers can give evidence. Relatives from both the Hillsborough and Manchester Arena cases expressed disappointment after the meeting. Key facts: - Families and campaigners say talks ended without agreement because of concerns about protections for serving intelligence officers. - More than 20 Labour MPs have backed amendments to extend the duty of candour to individual intelligence officers and have indicated they may not support the bill as currently drafted; parliamentary debate has been delayed until next week. - The government has tabled amendments and says it will not compromise on national security while seeking to progress the legislation. Summary: The government's proposed Hillsborough law is paused while discussions continue after a breakdown in talks with bereaved families. The bill is slated to return to the Commons next week, and its ultimate passage is undetermined at this time.