Hillsborough campaigners to find out today if House of Commons debate can go ahead as planned
CAMPAIGNERS were hoping to hear today whether a House of Commons debate on the Hillsborough files can go ahead as planned.
An 11th-hour objection in the House of Commons to the long-awaited debate taking place meant it was temporarily put on hold last night.
But Walton MP Steve Rotheram, who argued passionately for the debate to go ahead, said he was confident the objection would be overruled by the government today.
He added: “It was a shambles. Because of the objections of one Tory MP, the government will have to come back with an amendment to put the business back how it was so we can have the debate on Monday.
“The Leader of the House, Sir George Young, assured us that would happen and I am confident the debate will still go ahead as planned.”
Some of the families of the 96 football fans who lost their lives 22 years ago are due to travel to London to attend the event at Westminster.
The motion is for full disclosure of the Hillsborough dossier, with assurances of no redaction, deletion or any sensitive documents being held back.
Mr Rotheram added: “It is an absolute disgrace that one maverick MP can over-ride the wishes of so many people.
“Families have already booked to travel down on that day and they are having injury upon injury heaped upon them.”
The parliamentary hearing last night dealt with the schedule for the House of Commons over the forthcoming week.
It has emerged the previous debate on Monday, about pension reforms, could be extended, affecting the discussion about the Hillsborough disaster.
Next Monday, Mr Rotheram is due to open the debate, speaking for around 15 minutes, before backbench MPs are invited to contribute.
Home secretary Theresa May will respond on behalf of the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government after the discussion.
A vote will only be called if the government does not agree to the terms of the motion put forward.
If full and unequivocal disclosure is ratified, the release of the files will still take place in 2012, according to the government’s previously-stated timetable.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg yesterday said he supported the release of documents showing how then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet responded to the 1989 disaster.
The parliamentary hearing last night dealt with the schedule for the House of Commons over the forthcoming week.
It has emerged the previous debate on Monday, about pension reforms, could be extended, affecting the discussion about the Hillsborough disaster.
Next Monday, Mr Rotheram is due to open the debate, speaking for around 15 minutes, before backbench MPs are invited to contribute.
Home secretary Theresa May will respond on behalf of the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government after the discussion.
A vote will only be called if the government does not agree to the terms of the motion put forward.
If full and unequivocal disclosure is ratified, the release of the files will still take place in 2012, according to the government’s previously-stated timetable.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg yesterday said he supported the release of documents showing how then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet responded to the 1989 disaster.
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