It is plain that Home Office officials had a very good, immediate understanding of the causes of the Hillsborough Disaster. Having spent twelve hours reading through the documents released, and drawing on my experience as a senior civil servant, for me the key document is the briefing for the Home Secretary’s statement to the House of Commons two days after the disaster.
On pages 16 and 17 of this PDF, are some of the the “supplementaries” which civil servants prepare (indexed answers replying to possible follow-up questions which MPs may ask in debate). Here a civil servant has prepared for the Home Secretary answers on whether the Hillsborough Ground complied with the “Guide on Safety at Sports Grounds”. His answers include these:
3. Does the ground comply with the guide?
(A) Entry turnstiles – appears unlikely
(B) Rate of Entry with Route – Not when gate opened, well overloaded
(C) Stewards/Police – Not clear yet whether numbers and dispersal adequate
(D) Entry to Terrace from Route – Need to see plans – Appears there were no control barriers
(E) Radial/Lateral Gangways – Need to see plans – Film indicated that these were not defined or kept clear
(F) Crash Barriers – Engineer’s statement that they were tested and complied for strength
(G) Pitch Perimeter Fence – From film it appears that emergency gates are rather narrow and limited in number
So just two days after the disaster, and one day after Thatcher’s and Hurd’s visit to the site, there was a full understanding of the actual causes of the disaster. There is no mention of hooliganism or crowd violence or alcohol in the Civil Servant’s briefing. But – exactly as the Murdoch media’s campaign of demonisation of the Liverpool fans was getting into full swing – Douglas Hurd has put his pen through all the above list of causes and written “Matters for the Inquiry”. Not to be told to Parliament.
So the government knew the truth, but decided to suppress it while the media vilifaction flew, pending the “Taylor Inquiry” which is unanimously now accepted to have been badly skewed.
Yet Hurd’s meeting with Taylor on 26 April 1989 lifts the lid on how “independent” these “judge-led” inquiries really are, with Hurd telling Taylor not just what the government would like him to say but precisely when it would be helpful to the government for him to say it.
If you read that minute through, you will see that Hurd shows no interest at all in the question of what happened at Hillsborough. This is only mentioned by Taylor, three quarters of the way through the meeting, which is overwhelmingly about Hurd steering Taylor to support the government’s position on compulsory membership cards for football clubs.
Justice for the victims of Hillsborough was plainly nowhere on Hurd’s list of priorities.
Anyone who lived through the Thatcher years will never forget her demonisation of “The enemy within”. My belief is that you cannot understand the government cover-up of Hillsborough without putting it in the context of Thatcher’s successful drive to remodel society on neo-conservative lines by economic deregulation and making the country fit for banker capitalists to become incredibly rich.
There is to me a psychological connection between the terrible, bitter and eminently avoidable confrontation with the miners, the poll tax, and the attitude to Hillsborough of Thatcher, Hurd and Murdoch. Football terraces were nothing if not a display of community solidarity between working people. Furthermore the police were used in paramilitary fashion by Thatcher against the miners and poll tax rioters: of course they would be supported as in the right at Hillsborough.
None of which helps the bereaved, and in many ways yesterday’s assertion that almost half the victims had some potential to be saved given a better police and emergency response must be just awful for them. I cannot fully imagine how they feel, though of course I am pleased that the shadow of official blame has been lifted.
But I also hope strongly that the undoubted evidence of co-ordinated cover-up and massive doctoring of documents helps people come to an understanding that government cannot be trusted. The lies about ticketless Liverpool fans leaping turnstiles reminded me of the lie about Jean Charles De Menezes leaping a turnstile – a lie also propounded by the Police and Murdoch.
Government conspiracies do indeed happen. They happen more often than you think.
@Colin Carr 3.50 p.m. Should have read de Beer’s and the it was a UN commissioner to Namibia, Bernt Carlsson. I’m getting old!
Jeez.
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_the_corporate_death_star/
Craig,
Can I raise a slightly different view on this? Of course I am not justifying or seeking to excuse any wrongdoing that may have happened at Hillsbrough (I hope the actual truth comes out fully)but I believe there is also a sub-text going on here.
Simply put, there is a strong desire within the Home Office for a nationalised Police Force.The problems with local accountability and the relative independance of individual Chief Costables is “unhelpful” in the future vision of the 21st century state.Therefore there is a move to highlight the “failures” of individual police forces by means of negative public portrayal, whereas in the past the Police were, overall, shown in a positive light.Consider the current situation in Cleveland, where, coincidentaly, the Chief Constable was the main (indeed the only)personality that stopped the amalgamation between North Yorkshire and Cleveland and Durham to form a Northern “super-force”. And look at his current situation. And remember what happened to you Clive.Consider the emphasis on the “failures” of the police in last years riots, despite a continous under-funding and under-manning of police forces nationwide.There is a bigger picture here. Dont be suprised when the Government suggests that the local forces are no longer “effective” and that a national, paramilitary force is what we need for the 21st century. I give you your own words;Government conspiracies do indeed happen. They happen more often than you think.
DUNO, yes, been doing some rapid research in the hope that Avaaz had gone mad: but no, it really does seem to be a secret treaty negotiated by 600 corporate reps to give corporations overwhelming powers, including those to sue governments for interfering in their business. “Clauses allow foreign investors the right to sue governments directly in offshore private investment tribunals” Open letter signed by 130 legislators in 50 US states here:
http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2012/07/06/legislators-from-50-states-sign-letter-demanding-new-approach-to-tpp-negotiations-by-the-obama-admin/
Excellent post Craig.
‘Yet Hurd’s meeting with Taylor on 26 April 1989 lifts the lid on how “independent” these “judge-led” inquiries really are, with Hurd telling Taylor not just what the government would like him to say but precisely when it would be helpful to the government for him to say it.’
I can imagine Maudling giving similar instructions to Lord Widgery in February 1972, prior to his now discredited Report into Bloody Sunday. And if I live long enough I’d hope & expect to see similar revelations about some of the Blair era ‘inquiries’.
‘Government conspiracies do indeed happen. They happen more often than you think.’ How true!
Technicolour, seems amazing, though I only just came across it myself.
And ps god knows how i’m able to post here as I now notice the email I typed was wrong. I guess it’s someone else’s 🙁 oops.
@ DUNO & Technicolour,
I haven’t yet read Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”, but I believe one of the main points involves all the ‘important’ people decide to move to their own sphere, as a reaction to State interference.
TFS: You may like “NATO’s Secret Armies: Operation GLADIO and Terrorism in Western Europe” by Ganser Daniele, a most alarming read.
What we have here is a conspiracy between the politicians, the police and the media. Who can we rely on to sort the mess out? Why, the politicians, the police and the media. Just like phone-hacking and countless other examples.
The brain-dead TV-Zombies known as the general public just don’t get it do they?
I have been deeply affected by the events at Hillsborough and continue to be. My wife and I watched the whole disgraceful episode unfold on TV and I knew what those people were going through. I followed Leeds Utd for many years (until a nasty incident with a NF paper seller and fuckwit thick copper) and, in the 70’s and 80’s, I had been in the same situation as the Liverpool fans. Several times, at different grounds, both my friends and I thought we wouldn’t get out of a crush in a fenced in, overfilled paddock, surrounded by uncaring, bullying police, beaten with truncheons or arrested when we complained about being unable to breathe or move. I remember missing the first 20 minutes of a night match having arrived an hour before kick-off because the clowns would only let the ground open 2 turnstiles for 10,000 people to enter the Gelderd End. No-one cared about the fans, the authorities – FA, EPL, UEFA, FIFA, the clubs – didn’t give a flying toss for the supporters and still don’t.
I don’t care what any of the Tory filth say about Thatcher not giving the police free-rein to slander the fans after Hillsborough, I seem to remember her being on the news and being quite disparaging about what the fans had ‘done’ and how wonderful the police were.
As an aside, my hatred of all things Thatcher runs deep. Playing ‘Articulate’ with family at Xmas last, I gave the clue ‘ That bitch’ to my 20 year old son and without hesitation he said Thatcher. My Tory donor brother-in-law was mortified and nearly choked on his port!! Ha Ha! It led my son to investigate why I felt so vehemently about her and he has come to the same conclusion – evil, vindictive, uncaring excuse for a woman. Listen to Elvis Costello’s song – Tramp the Dirt Down – for a idea of how many of us felt at the time.
Peace and love
I actually think Thatcher was/is clinically insane who surrounded herself with weak pliant men only to happy to be dominated by a cruel Matron figure.
There,and i never even mentioned Freud.
Im also very glad to see that odious buffoon and yob Kelvin Mckenzie get his balls kicked.Long overdue.
Maybe I’m too suspicious. But there is a big whiff of football supporters promotion going on here, maybe i’v just seen clockwork orange where it does not belong. But i’m justifiably wary of some of these people getting any more full of themselves.
Time to glance behind and see who is pinching my wallet.
@ Jives
What if Thatcher was a typical woman: vain, narcissistic, petulant; and that clever manipulating men worked her from behind: Keith Joseph.
The hate she engenders maybe the convulsions of cognitive dissonance, brought on by the juxtapose of ‘motherly’ attributes, and totalitarianism. Maybe the Tories had pre-empted the Marxists use of women and children as stalking horses.
@ JimmyGiro
Yep entirely possible i think,although i’m wary of generalising about any gender.
Certainly though the whole “milk-snatcher” narrative would fit that arc.
Craig, good post. However, I am surprised you didn’t note Cameron’s dissembling in his statement to Parliament. Twice he emphasised the phrase ‘new evidence’, as if to suggest, well, we’re all adults, we know what he was doing.
The Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has called for former Conservative MP Sir Irvine Patnick to be stripped of his knighthood after he was criticised in the report.
Sir Irvine, former Sheffield Hallam MP, was identified as being one of the sources for The Sun’s story headlined “The Truth”, which contained false allegations against fans.
Mr Anderson said he has “brought the Honours system into disrepute” and helped to bring “overwhelming misery” to the people of Liverpool.
Sir Irvine said he was “deeply and sincerely sorry” for the part he played, adding: “It is now clear that the information i received from some police officers at the time was wholly inaccurate, misleading and plain wrong.
“However I totally accept responsibility for passing on such information without asking further questions.
“So many years after this tragic event I am deeply and sincerely sorry for the part I played in adding to the pain and suffering of the victims’ families.”
From
Hillsborough: South Yorkshire Police consider IPCC referral
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19592455
Anyone more right wing would be hard to find.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irvine_Patnick
@ Mary
They should gather all the ‘politically’ appointed lords, and have like a prisoner exchange, whereby the Tories and the Marxists each strip off their ‘honours’ quid pro quo.
ePetition details
Removal of Sir Irvine Patnick’s Knighthood
http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=17&RPID=4231961&HPID=4231961
JimmyGiro: “For example, if we blame Hitler and his gang for National Socialism, then we inadvertently shield the culpable German ethos, and its people, from deserved blame; as tyrants cannot act in a vacuum.”
I can’t help wondering whether in 50 years time the world won’t be blaming the culpable British ethos, and its people, from deserved blame; as tyrants cannot act in a vacuum.
We are effectively silent while our elected government engage in illegal wars and occupation, torture, dictatorial regimes, arms running, drugs running, state sanctioned terror etc, etc.
“Globalism” looks a lot like Inter-National Socialism (a la Hitler) to me – Global Corporate Facism.
Are we so different from the average German in 1930? I don’t think so.
Most people are just ignorant and/or terminally apathetic (present company excepted, naturally).
Since 9/11 our collective moral compass has been recalibrated.
I live in Vietnam. My wife who was born here in 1979 did not have enough milk as a baby – her family fed her with the water from cooked rice. This was quite a common practice at that time.
Thatcher was in part responsible for stopping exports of surplus EU milk reaching Vietnam as part of the sanctions.
I have hated Thatcher since 1979 or slightly before even. If you haven’t signed the no state funeral for thatcher e-petition yet please consider doing so. It might no stop it but it will at least stop it going through without dissent.
All politicians are bad – but some are worse. Churchill was the only politician to get a state funeral and though in reality far from the man of the myth he was at least widely appreciated and respected. If Thatcher gets one – who else? I’d say politicians should be barred from having such honours. Royalty – love or hate em – are at least meant to be aside from politics.
@JimmyGiro: I should read have the thread through first..
I also agree with Phil 13 Sep, 2012 – 3:24 pm ..
Aamvn: A state funeral for Thatcher (may her soul soon be in Hell) does actually have its merits. An open casket would at least allow everyone to see that the witch is, indeed, dead. A 21-gun salute is in order too – firing right through the coffin.
Did any newspapers publish the truth at the time? the government can keep a lie going for 23 years, even with live witnesses and photographs contradicting their lie. Wonder if newspaper mafia be punished? Which newspaper in recent times have supported the calls for an enquiry, I find even the Guardian is a pile of dog poop. I use a rss reader with 84 news feeds and look at TV news as a sort of clown show. The citizens should have their own newspapers outside of corporate control.
@Larry Levin – Good Point.
Whatever happened to investigative journalism.
A “scoop” is now just a utensil for scraping poop..
South Africa was bought down by an economic boycott, Boycott these newspapers and any company that advertises with them, they will shut in 30 days.They are blood thirsty capitalists fight them on their home ground, Money. Wonder which MP’s in parliament resisted or tried to oppose this enquiry, lets have their names, and lets get a recall motion under way and remove them from office.
Noam Chomsky says about Newspapers, that they have a market and a product, their market is other businesses and their product is their readership, truth, honest reporting does not enter the equation.
Shame we cant boil these people in dog faeces.
Craig, did you notice the error/fib in the Home Secretary’s briefing Q&A you link to:
“4. Has the ground a safety certificate?
YES – (Essential, or event would not have taken place)”
We now know it did not have a valid safety certificate because the ground was developed and not re-certificated, so old emergency plans were impossible to execute in new layout. Wonder if any civil servant checked that when drafting the Q&A?
Strange, no mention of government coordinated cover-up on the BBC 6 o’clock news – everyone left with the impression it was just the police to blame.
Jammie Dodgers
13 Sep, 2012 – 6:00 pm
What we have here is a conspiracy between the politicians, the police and the media. Who can we rely on to sort the mess out? Why, the politicians, the police and the media. Just like phone-hacking and countless other examples.
.
I have been told by a family who suffered a loss that phones of the Hillsborough families were hacked/tapped in the aftermath of the event to thwart the campaigns of the families. The campaigns focussed on pointing out the (now verified) mistakes & cover-ups enacted by the South Yorkshire Police, however the police knew the thrust of particular campaigns, in advance of any launch.
.
Media organistaions also drove wedges within the family/survivor campaigns (HFSG/HJC), with story payoffs etc. weakening the solidaridity of the overall campaign.
.
‘Government conspiracies do indeed happen. They happen more often than you think.’ Very true!
AAMVN. There is no longer an E-petition for no state funeral for Thatcher, It has expired with nearly 10,500 signatures. However, there is nothing to stop somebody creating another carefully worded E-petition. In my opinion it should be short and to the point and go something like “In the wake of the the Hillsborough Disaster cover-up there should be no state funeral for former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.” I would sign it.
The E-petition for a funeral has more than 50,000 signatures. Concentrating on Hillsborough could get a lot of hits from football fans, especially Liverpool fans. The successful E-petition (more than 150,000 signatures) that forced this Inquiry was initiated by Brian Irvine. I contacted him to find out how the success was achieved. I quote:
“I tweeted the link to the prominent people in the LFC and sports community and it really just snowballed from there on in.
Afterwards, various celebrities and public figures also retweeted the link after being encouraged to be people other than myself as the word spread; achieving a wider audience.
This progressed until the numbers where getting so high that it alerted the news agencies.”
I am sure there are enough people who were adversely affected by Thatcher to make it a successful E-petition.