Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to calls by the Chief Coroner for equal legal funding for families at inquests, said

“This is an important intervention by the Chief Coroner and heavyweight backing for Labour’s proposed ‘Hillsborough Law’.

"It is wrong that the police and other public bodies are able to throw around public money like confetti hiring top QCs when bereaved families have to scratch around for whatever support they can get. Far too often, inquests are intimidating and distressing for families still raw with grief.

"Public money should be spent on helping people get to the truth, not on protecting backs in the public sector. Natural justice requires that Parliament should call time on this gross unfairness and require parity of funding and a level playing field for bereaved families.

"I have got great respect for the way our new Prime Minister supported the Hillsborough families. But the job is far from done. It is essential that we continue to act on all the lessons learned and make Hillsborough a moment of real change when Parliament rebalances the legal system in favour of ordinary people.

"The Hillsborough families strongly support this change in the law to spare other families the pain that they have endured at the hands of the police. Labour will call a new debate on our proposed 'Hillsborough Law’ in the Lords in the autumn. The Chief Coroner’s support for our cause has significantly strengthened it. We call on the Government to respect natural justice and work with us to make this essential change.”