Statement from Yvette Cooper on DPP and IPCC announcements on Hillsborough |

Friday 12th October 2012 | 11:59

Statement from Yvette Cooper on DPP and IPCC announcements on Hillsborough

Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: "We strongly welcome the IPCC investigation and the DPP review of the evidence for criminal charges. It is appalling that the Hillsborough families have had to wait so long for the truth. Now they are owed justice. Both the tragic events on the day and the full scale of the police cover up need to be properly investigated now including criminal investigations."

"However the families should not be expected to wait for a long time for the inquest to be reopened too and we urge the Attorney General to act as swiftly as possible.

"We welcome the determination of the IPCC Chair and Deputy Chair to get to the truth, but we also need assurances from the Home Secretary that the IPCC will have the powers and resources it needs - given problems that have arisen over previous investigations and the extensive nature of these inquiries.

"We also have to recognise that the current system of accountability and investigation into policing problems failed to get to the truth over Hillsborough for 23 years. No one should ever have to fight as hard and as long as the Hillsborough families had to do simply to get the truth about the death of a loved one. That is not acceptable and should never be allowed to happen again. And the public and police need to have the confidence that when things go wrong they are swiftly sorted out so that they don't cast a shadow over policing in future. That is why the Stevens Commission is drawing up plans for a new and stronger Police Standards Authority for the future."