Dominic Raab announces public advocate for disaster victims and families

Campaigners for a ‘Hillsborough law’ say proposal lacks powers to secure key documents and prevent cover-ups

Dominic Raab has announced ministers will set up an “independent public advocate” to support victims and families of people killed in major disasters, including by helping them to “navigate” the inquiries and inquests that follow.

The justice secretary described the proposed advocate as part of the government’s belated response to the ordeal suffered by bereaved families after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, where 97 people were killed in a crush at the FA Cup semi final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Bereaved families and survivors were forced to struggle for decades against a campaign of lies mounted by South Yorkshire police, who sought to blame those who attended the match for the disaster, rather than admit to police crowd management failures.