Justice at last for Hillsborough families?

Today's long awaited release of the Hillsborough files and apology from David Cameron is hopefully the beginning of the end of a long road for the families of the 96 fans who died.   It is clear the police and emergency services engaged in a process of backside covering - including influencing the inquests.

It is hard to see anything other than criminal charges for those involved.

Nick Clegg first demanded the release of the documents over a year ago and I pondered later that their release may have only happened as a result of the more open style of government resulting from coalition - making it easier for the public to influence political leaders.

If so, let's hope it continues with a more open attitude by public officials across government in future - whoever is in power.

Hillsborough victory for fans (and open government)

The news that all the Hillsborough papers - possibly as many as 300,000 - are to be released to the families is a victory for football fans - particularly those who support Liverpool. Their 22 year wait for the facts about the tragedy has gone on far too long.

It's a campaign that has won wide polical support from all sides - including from Nick Clegg back in August as this blog reported.

Without taking away from the long campaign of the families and the 140,000 people who signed the e-petition one wonders if a majority government - rather than the more collegiate and open style of the coalition - would have been so easy to convince that releasing the files was the right thing to do?

Clegg demands release of Hillsborough files

I suspect Nick Clegg is not a regular reader of this blog, but he has, according to the Mirror, come out and demanded full disclosure of all the papers relating to the Hillsborough disaster as I argued last week.

With 100,000+ signatures on the e-petition there is no excuse for the government to further delay the release of these papers.

Clegg should release Hillsborough files

The Cabinet Office is to appeal against the Information Commissioner's decision to release papers under the Freedom of Information act revealing Mrs Thatcher's views about the 1989 tragedy.

Their reasoning is that an independent panel is currently looking at all the papers and will decide what should be released to the public.

As can be seen from the Liverpool Echo report - there is little support for this view - principally because of a lack of trust of the authorities from survivors and supporters.

It's an entirely self defeating move by the Cabinet Office. If the panel agrees with the commissioner it will releases the papers. If it doesn't they will be subject to another FoI request without the grounds for the current appeal.

Clegg - who is in charge of the Cabinet Office - should step in and insist the appeal is dropped. It's not about the technicalities - it is about trust. And thousands of people in Liverpool do not trust the authorities as a result of years of cover ups, delays and backside covering by those in the know.

So Clegg should cut through the red tape and release the files. And by doing so take the first steps in the process of re-building trust with those affected by the tragedy and at the same time highlight to the people of Liverpool the difference having Lib Dems in government can make.