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| Norman Bettison 'should consider his position' after Hillsborough report | Norman Bettison 'should consider his position' after Hillsborough report |
| (21 days later) | |
| Pressure has intensified on the chief constable of West Yorkshire police, whom the families of the Hillsborough victims accuse of playing a key role in wrongly blaming fans for the disaster, after the former home secretary Jack Straw said both he and his employers should be considering his position. | Pressure has intensified on the chief constable of West Yorkshire police, whom the families of the Hillsborough victims accuse of playing a key role in wrongly blaming fans for the disaster, after the former home secretary Jack Straw said both he and his employers should be considering his position. |
| Straw, who expressed regret that the review he commissioned into the disaster by Lord Justice Stuart-Smith in 1997 failed to uncover the truth, stopped short of calling for Sir Norman Bettison to depart. | Straw, who expressed regret that the review he commissioned into the disaster by Lord Justice Stuart-Smith in 1997 failed to uncover the truth, stopped short of calling for Sir Norman Bettison to depart. |
| "It's not for me to say," Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "I understand the concerns of the families. I think it is for his employers and for Sir Norman, between them. | "It's not for me to say," Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "I understand the concerns of the families. I think it is for his employers and for Sir Norman, between them. |
| "He's bound to be considering [his position] – it's inevitable. He can read the newspapers, and I would have hoped he would have been considering it for some time. I can see the point that the families are making. On the other hand, my dealings personally with Sir Norman suggested that he was a fine police officer." | "He's bound to be considering [his position] – it's inevitable. He can read the newspapers, and I would have hoped he would have been considering it for some time. I can see the point that the families are making. On the other hand, my dealings personally with Sir Norman suggested that he was a fine police officer." |
| Straw added: "In terms simply of fairness it has to be a matter for his employers to consider in the light of all the facts. But certainly they should do that." | Straw added: "In terms simply of fairness it has to be a matter for his employers to consider in the light of all the facts. But certainly they should do that." |
| As a South Yorkshire chief inspector and later superintendent, Bettison was a member of the internal review group or liaison unit on Hillsborough and, as such, the families say, he had a key role in presenting the police in the best light and blaming the fans for the disaster. The Labour MP Maria Eagle told parliament that the "liaison unit orchestrated what can only be described as a black propaganda campaign". | As a South Yorkshire chief inspector and later superintendent, Bettison was a member of the internal review group or liaison unit on Hillsborough and, as such, the families say, he had a key role in presenting the police in the best light and blaming the fans for the disaster. The Labour MP Maria Eagle told parliament that the "liaison unit orchestrated what can only be described as a black propaganda campaign". |
| On Wednesday, Trevor Hicks, former chair of the Hillsborough families support group, said Bettison should quit. Hicks said: "If he is anything of a man, he will stand down and scurry up a drainpipe somewhere." | On Wednesday, Trevor Hicks, former chair of the Hillsborough families support group, said Bettison should quit. Hicks said: "If he is anything of a man, he will stand down and scurry up a drainpipe somewhere." |
| Bettison is one of the country's most experienced officers and responsible for overseeing the policing of domestic extremism. Following his role in the Hillsborough review, he was appointed in 1998 to be chief constable of Merseyside, a move condemned at the time by the Hillsborough families as "appalling and insensitive". | Bettison is one of the country's most experienced officers and responsible for overseeing the policing of domestic extremism. Following his role in the Hillsborough review, he was appointed in 1998 to be chief constable of Merseyside, a move condemned at the time by the Hillsborough families as "appalling and insensitive". |
| Richard Wells, whose tenure as chief constable of South Yorkshire police took in the last three years of Bettison's service with the force, up to 1993, said those involved in the coverup should face prosecution. He told Today: "I think it's absolutely essential. I don't know how practical it's going to be now, but I think probably the inquest, if that is re-ordered, may help to shed further light on the matter." | Richard Wells, whose tenure as chief constable of South Yorkshire police took in the last three years of Bettison's service with the force, up to 1993, said those involved in the coverup should face prosecution. He told Today: "I think it's absolutely essential. I don't know how practical it's going to be now, but I think probably the inquest, if that is re-ordered, may help to shed further light on the matter." |
| The Hillsborough report gave more detail on Bettison's role in presenting the police's case after the 96 deaths. The report states that Bettison was a key figure in a meeting with the police federation and MP Michael Shersby, who was supportive of the police's case. Bettison presented the meeting with a heavily edited video of the disaster – 29 minutes "culled" by him, the report states, from 65 hours of footage. It was accompanied by commentary from Bettison. The meeting, the report states, was held for the South Yorkshire police federation to present evidence to Shersby that would be helpful for him to present to parliament when the Hillsborough disaster was debated. At one point the report says Bettison's commentary stated that: "Perimeter fences were the result of hooliganism – walls demolished, missile attacks on police officers, supporters climbing perimeter fences, pitch invasion." The last problem was "thought to be the case at Hillsborough". | The Hillsborough report gave more detail on Bettison's role in presenting the police's case after the 96 deaths. The report states that Bettison was a key figure in a meeting with the police federation and MP Michael Shersby, who was supportive of the police's case. Bettison presented the meeting with a heavily edited video of the disaster – 29 minutes "culled" by him, the report states, from 65 hours of footage. It was accompanied by commentary from Bettison. The meeting, the report states, was held for the South Yorkshire police federation to present evidence to Shersby that would be helpful for him to present to parliament when the Hillsborough disaster was debated. At one point the report says Bettison's commentary stated that: "Perimeter fences were the result of hooliganism – walls demolished, missile attacks on police officers, supporters climbing perimeter fences, pitch invasion." The last problem was "thought to be the case at Hillsborough". |
| The report stated that the video presentation showed the buildup of fans at the turnstiles, estimated at 2.39pm as between 2,000 and 6,000 people. The meeting was informed that the crowd was "massively unco-operative". | The report stated that the video presentation showed the buildup of fans at the turnstiles, estimated at 2.39pm as between 2,000 and 6,000 people. The meeting was informed that the crowd was "massively unco-operative". |
| Bettison later said the meeting agreed that officers on duty at Hillsborough "were the most professional experienced men in the service". | Bettison later said the meeting agreed that officers on duty at Hillsborough "were the most professional experienced men in the service". |
| The report states that within weeks Tony Judge, publicity director for the police federation, published a two-page review of the meeting with Shersby under the headline: "Hillsborough – the police who dispute Taylor's verdict". The subheading referred to "the anger still felt by ordinary police men and women who consider the inquiry report has whitewashed the hooligan element among Liverpool followers". | The report states that within weeks Tony Judge, publicity director for the police federation, published a two-page review of the meeting with Shersby under the headline: "Hillsborough – the police who dispute Taylor's verdict". The subheading referred to "the anger still felt by ordinary police men and women who consider the inquiry report has whitewashed the hooligan element among Liverpool followers". |
| A month after the meeting between the police federation and Shersby, Bettison went to parliament to show his edited video to a group of MPs to present the police's case. | A month after the meeting between the police federation and Shersby, Bettison went to parliament to show his edited video to a group of MPs to present the police's case. |
| Bettison has always denied his role in any "black propaganda". When he was appointed Merseyside chief constable, he said the allegations were "simply untrue" and invited those who made the allegations to "meet me, ask me anything that you want to ask me". | Bettison has always denied his role in any "black propaganda". When he was appointed Merseyside chief constable, he said the allegations were "simply untrue" and invited those who made the allegations to "meet me, ask me anything that you want to ask me". |
| He defined his role in the Hillsborough investigation as running a "mail room" for West Midlands police, who were conducting an independent investigation. Part of that role, he said, was to remove "hearsay" and "emotional baggage" from evidence, and keep senior officers informed of progress so that safety at football matches could be improved. | He defined his role in the Hillsborough investigation as running a "mail room" for West Midlands police, who were conducting an independent investigation. Part of that role, he said, was to remove "hearsay" and "emotional baggage" from evidence, and keep senior officers informed of progress so that safety at football matches could be improved. |
| "What it wasn't was a black propaganda unit and a unit involved in historical revisionism," he said. | "What it wasn't was a black propaganda unit and a unit involved in historical revisionism," he said. |
| Bettison made no comment on Wednesday on the call for his resignation. | Bettison made no comment on Wednesday on the call for his resignation. |
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