Councillors in St Helens have given their unanimous backing to calls for the Hillsborough Law to be introduced, and have also given their backing to the Real Truth Legacy Project.
Unanimous support was given at last night’s full council meeting to the motion proposed by Council Leader David Baines and seconded by Cllr Lynn Clarke.
David Baines says: “I was honoured to bring forward a motion calling for the Council to stand with the victims and survivors of the Hillsborough tragedy; support the campaign for a Hillsborough Law; and to support the Real Truth Legacy project.
I am delighted to say the motion passed unanimously and I would like to thank colleagues from across the chamber for giving it their support.
It’s not just about Hillsborough. It’s not about football. It’s about justice for all.”
Find out more about the Real Truth Legacy Project: https://www.ianbyrne.org/the-real-truth
You can read the motion in full and view the webcast of the debate here: http://moderngov.sthelens.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=116&MId=11116&Ver=4 and read Cllr Baines’ speech proposing the motion below.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Baines said: “This Friday marks the 33rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. Tonight at Anfield, the club and its supporters will mark the anniversary, as always. 97 men, women and children went to watch a football match and through no fault of their own, didn’t come home. For more than three decades the survivors, and the families and loved ones haven’t just had the indescribable grief to contend with; they’ve also been forced to deal with the obscenity of those in power smearing them, lying, and hiding from justice.
The impact of the campaign of lies, smears and propaganda orchestrated by South Yorkshire Police in 1989 and promoted by willing politicians and media continues to this day, with far too many members of the public still to this day repeating those discredited lies.
The motion before us asks this Council to stand with the Hillsborough survivors and the families of the ninety-seven victims. To recognise that more must be done to ensure that the cycle of injustice, and lies, that they experienced must not be repeated.
The motion also asks Council to support the Hillsborough Law Now Campaign and the Real Truth Legacy Project. Justice isn’t justice when it is not available to all; and the truth matters. With powerful forces at work to defend their own interests, it is critical that we do all we can to teach the facts and raise awareness.