Keir Starmer promises ‘duty of candour’ law by next April as called for by Grenfell families

Keir Starmer has confirmed the government’s ‘duty of candour law’ for public officials will be introduced by next April.

The government had previously pledged to introduce a law requiring public servants to be truthful and transparent with the public, following calls from bereaved families and survivors of Grenfell and other disasters.

Starmer, speaking at the Labour party conference in Liverpool this afternoon, said the legislation would be “a law for the 97”, referring to those who died in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, as well as “a law for the sub-postmasters in the Horizon scandal, the victims of infected blood, Windrush and Grenfell Tower”.

The plan to introduce legislation by next April would mean a bill would be moving through parliament by the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in April.

Labour’s leader also referenced the victims of Grenfell later in his speech, explaining that he understood “the power and responsibilities of government” and “the way it can make or break a life”.

He spoke of “the families and survivors of Grenfell Tower, whose dignity, for seven years, held up a mirror to this nation, asked us – do we really give an equal voice to all?

“They have all shown that the difference between service and government – true service – is that service must listen to people far beyond the walls of the state ad empower them to make our country better,” he said.

Starmer also said the new Labour government will house all military veterans in housing need, as well as young care leavers and victims of domestic abuse.

The prime minister described his vision for a “government of service” and promised that his party would “repay those who served us”.

“In every town and city in this country, people who were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, who put their lives on the line to protect us all, but who will not have a safe place to sleep tonight,” he said.

“We cannot stand by and let this happen anymore.”

Starmer said that the “hard yards of planning reform” that the government had already, including proposals for brownfield passports, meant that the government could “make the very same promise to other people at risk of homelessness”.

According to a release sent out by the Labour Party after the speech, armed forces veterans, young care leavers and domestic abuse victims will all be able to apply for social housing in any local authority in the UK, for life.

Currently, veterans are given an exemption from local connection tests for five years after leaving the forces, but more than 80% of homeless veterans referred for housing support left more than five years ago.

Meanwhile, domestic abuse victims and care leavers often need to leave their local area for their own safety.

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner wrote to councils today, telling them to prioritise veterans and support vulnerable groups through social housing applications.

Labour said regulatory changes would be brought forward when parliamentary time allowed.

The prime minister said the government also needed to “get our skills system right” and committed to introduce new foundation apprenticeships, rebalance funding in the training system towards young people and “align that with what business really need”.

He described this as “the first step to a youth guarantee that will eradicated inactivity and unemployment for our young people – once and for all”.

Starmer also used his speech to announce that GB Energy would be headquartered in Aberdeen, the historic centre of the oil sector in Scotland.