Hillsborough

Today is the twenty fifth anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster when 96 football fans died in circumstances which were preventable.

(from the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/02/hillsborough-inquest-police-accounts-criticism)

(From This Is Anfield: http://www.thisisanfield.com/2012/09/police-ignored-evidence-of-doctor-who-treated-hillsborough-victims/)

It is also the twenty fifth year of one of the longest running scandals in the history of British policing, media and politics. The vindictive response of the authorities is symbolised by the readiness of the police forces of the day and since to break their oath to tell the truth and instead to lie and cover up persistently for decade after decade. It is symbolised in the nastiest campaign ever run by the Sun newspaper to blacken the names of the victims and their friends. It is symbolised in the malignant response of the political authorities of the time.

(Published by Scott Twigg https://twitter.com/ScottTwigg1/status/319552541157384192/photo/1. This letter was sent to Scott's step father by Margaret Thatcher's press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham.)

Twenty five years later we still seek the truth. The need, two and a half decades later, still to seek justice for the 96 reveals much that is wrong about Britain today - so many police officers have forgotten that their job is to protect the public, not to hound them, so many journalists have forgotten that their job is to tell the truth, not to lie, so many politicians have forgotten that their job is to serve the public, not their own selfish interests.

There are honourable police officers, there are honourable journalists, there are honourable politicians. But every name below is a stain on the reputation of all those professions. And it is not enough, in the face of such widespread and persistent corruption, to be honourable oneself. The honourable must not only do their own job, but it is their responsibility to root out the corrupt who still walk with them today, and seek to make amends for the evil and neglect that they have tolerated for too long.

But the honour of the professions is meaningless beside the tragedy that befell these people, their families and their friends on 15^th April 1989. The youngest was 10, the oldest 67.

John Alfred Anderson

Colin Mark Ashcroft

James Gary Aspinall

Kester Roger Marcus Ball

Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron

Simon Bell

Barry Sidney Bennett

David John Benson

David William Birtle

Tony Bland

Paul David Brady

Andrew Mark Brookes

Carl Brown

David Steven Brown

Henry Thomas Burke

Peter Andrew Burkett

Paul William Carlile

Raymond Thomas Chapman

Gary Christopher Church

Joseph Clark

Paul Clark

Gary Collins

Stephen Paul Copoc

Tracey Elizabeth Cox

James Philip Delaney

Christopher Barry Devonside

Chris Edwards

Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons

Thomas Steven Fox

Jon-Paul Gilhooley

Barry Glover

Ian Thomas Glover

Derrick George Godwin

Roy Harry Hamilton

Philip Hammond

Eric Hankin

Gary Harrison

Stephen Francis Harrison

Peter Andrew Harrison

David Hawley

James Robert Hennessy

Paul Anthony Hewitson

Carl Darren Hewitt

Nicholas Michael Hewitt

Sarah Louise Hicks

Victoria Jane Hicks

Gordon Rodney Horn

Arthur Horrocks

Thomas Howard

Thomas Anthony Howard

Eric George Hughes

Alan Johnston

Christine Anne Jones

Gary Philip Jones

Richard Jones

Nicholas Peter Joynes

Anthony Peter Kelly

Michael David Kelly

Carl David Lewis

David William Mather

Brian Christopher Matthews

Francis Joseph McAllister

John McBrien

Marian Hazel McCabe

Joseph Daniel McCarthy

Peter McDonnell

Alan McGlone

Keith McGrath

Paul Brian Murray

Lee Nicol

Stephen Francis O'Neill

Jonathon Owens

William Roy Pemberton

Carl William Rimmer

Dave George Rimmer

Graham John Roberts

Steven Joseph Robinson

Henry Charles Rogers

Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton

Inger Shah

Paula Ann Smith

Adam Edward Spearritt

Philip John Steele

David Leonard Thomas

Patrick John Thompson

Peter Reuben Thompson

Stuart Paul William Thompson

Peter Francis Tootle

Christopher James Traynor

Martin Kevin Traynor

Kevin Tyrrell

Colin Wafer

Ian David Whelan

Martin Kenneth Wild

Kevin Daniel Williams

Graham John Wright