More Powers For Police Watchdog Over Hillsborough

12 December 2012, 10:32 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Almost 2500 police officers could now be investigated over their roles in the Hillsborough tragedy and cover up.

96 Liverpool football fans died and a recent report has claimed there was a massive cover up by police.

New laws have now been fast tracked through Parliament to give the Independent Police Complaints Commission greater powers to investigate.

This investigation is the biggest ever carried out by the IPCC.

Introducing the law, Home Office minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach said: ``The Bill before the House today is essential to achieve justice for the 96 innocent men, women and children who died as a result of the Hillsborough disaster.

``This short Bill provides the IPCC with the tools it needs to and marks one step further along the road to justice for the victims of Hillsborough. All who support this aim will, I'm sure, support this Bill.''

Baroness Smith of Basildon said the tragedy had been made worse by the cover-up and altering of statements taken by the police about what happened on the day of the disaster.

Lady Smith said the quest for justice had been ``hard fought'' but due to the tenacity and dedication of the bereaved families, the ``truth will out''.

The Hillsborough case is also before the High Court next week when the original accidental death verdicts could be overturned.

The Attorney General asked for them to be quoshed earlier this week.