Hillsborough law will mean serious wrongdoing is punished, says Lammy
Briefly

Hillsborough law will mean serious wrongdoing is punished, says Lammy
"This law includes a new professional and legal duty of candour. When something has gone badly wrong, public servants from the bobby on the beat to the highest office in the land will be under a duty to act with honesty and integrity at all times. Anyone who fails to do so faces criminal prosecution."
"And it will be supported with a new offence for flagrantly misleading the public, with those found in breach of the law facing up to two years behind bars, along with replacing the current offence of misconduct in public office with two new offences. These are serious punishments for serious wrongdoing."
The public office (accountability) bill will be introduced to parliament. The law creates a new professional and legal duty of candour requiring public servants to act with honesty and integrity when things go wrong. A new offence for flagrantly misleading the public will carry up to two years' imprisonment. Ministers, senior civil servants and chief constables who mislead the public could be prosecuted. The current offence of misconduct in public office will be replaced by two new offences. Legal aid will be automatically available to bereaved families at inquests when the state is represented by taxpayer-funded lawyers.
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