Keir Starmer meets with Margaret Aspinall, whose son James was killed at right, at 10 Downing Street Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in London, England. (Leon Neal/Pool Photo via AP)

Keir Starmer is facing a mounting backlash amid accusations he is watering down the so-called “Hillsborough Law” to protect members of the intelligence services.

Labour promised in its election manifesto to introduce the legislation, which would force public bodies to tell the truth following major disasters.

That followed a campaign by the families of the 97 Liverpool supporters killed at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough ground at an FA Cup semi-final in 1989.

Margaret Aspinall, whose son James died at Hillsborough, even introduced Starmer onto the stage ahead of his keynote speech at last year’s Labour conference in Liverpool.

Under the law, a “duty of candour” would be introduced making it illegal for those in positions of authority to withhold information from investigations.

MPs are due to debate it in the Commons next week, but the government has introduced amendments which would allow the heads of the security services to decide whether or not to disclose information involving their operations.

Labour MP Ian Byrne, who was at Hillsborough, condemned the move and said he could not support it.

In a statement posted on X, the Liverpool West Derby MP said: “I cannot, in all good conscience, support any amendments that abandon the........

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