More powers for stadium tragedy IPCC inquiry

Published on 22/10/2012 01:28

Labour will today call for powers to compel police officers to give evidence to an inquiry 
into the alleged Hillsborough cover-up.

Amid fears that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) lacks sufficient 
powers to uncover the truth about the police response to the tragedy at the FA Cup semi-final at the Sheffield stadium 
between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, shadow home 
secretary Yvette Cooper will urge the UK government to bring forward emergency legislation.

In the biggest ever inquiry into police action, the IPCC is to investigate serving and former officers with regard to what happened on the day of the tragedy in 1989, and during the alleged cover-up afterwards.

The officers in question include the current Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, Sir Norman Bettison, who has been accused of supplying misleading information after the disaster and trying to influence the local police authority when he was 
referred to the IPCC.

It follows a report by the Hillsborough Independent Panel, which claimed 164 police statements were altered in 
the wake of the tragedy, 116 of them to remove or change 
negative comments about the policing of the match and the ensuing disaster.

Questions have also been raised about whether manslaughter charges should be brought in relation to the deaths.

Ms Cooper said: “I am concerned that much more still needs to be done.

“For example the inquiry into the cover-up will need to get to the bottom of why so many police statements were altered.

“Everything possible should be done now to remove these obstacles to justice for the Hillsborough families.”