The Mayor of Liverpool’s petition calling for key figures involved in the Hillsborough cover up to be stripped of their Knighthoods ends on Friday 16 November – and almost 23,000 people have signed it.
Joe Anderson has written to Sir Bob Kerslake, Chair of the Honours Forfeiture Committee, calling for the honours for Sir Irvine Patnick and Sir Norman Bettison to be revoked.
The petition calling for the removal of Sir Irvine Patnick’s Knighthood stands at around 12,200, while approximately 10,800 are calling for Sir Norman Bettison to be stripped of his Knighthood and Queen’s Police Medal.
E-petitions are on the city council website for people to back the call – and you can add your name until 5pm on Friday by clicking here.
It comes after the Hillsborough Independent Panel revealed that Patnick, the former MP for Sheffield Hallam, took the lead in actively briefing the media with lies about the role and responsibility of Liverpool FC fans at Hillsborough.
Sir Norman Bettison was previously a Chief Inspector and then Superintendent at South Yorkshire Police at the time of the disaster. The Independent Panel report highlights his production of a video tape which sought to present Liverpool FC fans as being to blame. He is now being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
Mayor Anderson said: “There has been an overwhelming response from the people of the city to this petition. 23,000 people have called for these knighthoods to be revoked. They cannot be ignored, and I will be writing to Government again to let them know the strength of feeling on this issue.
“Mr Bettison’s part in the smearing of Liverpool fans has caused untold hurt to the families and the city for the last 23 years. He doesn’t deserve his knighthood. Nor does Mr Patnick, who was identified in the report of the Independent Panel as playing a key role in the cover up.
“These are not men of honour. These are men who helped reinforce the lies that were told about Hillsborough. I hope the Government listens to the tens of thousands of people from right across the country, and withdraws their honours.”
The city council also recently approved a 17 point cross-party motion pledging to do all it can to support those affected by the tragedy.
