Hillsborough disaster verdict: Calls for ‘fundamental reform’ of South Yorkshire Police

Culture at South Yorkshire Police labelled ‘rotten to the core’ as Chief Constable is suspended

David Crompton gave a statement to the media following Tuesday's verdict (Getty)

The police force at the heart of the Hillsborough cover-up is facing calls for “fundamental reform” after its chief constable was suspended with immediate effect over his handling of the inquest into the disaster.

South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable David Crompton had faced calls to resign from the families of the 96 victims of the disaster, who had accused the police of going back on former apologies, and criticised the force’s lawyers for aggressive questioning during the inquest.

His suspension came hours after shadow Home Secretary, Andy Burnham, said his position was “untenable”, labelling its leadership and culture “rotten to the core”.

The jury in the Hillsborough inquest ruled on Tuesday that the victims had been unlawfully killed.

In a statement, Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire Dr Alan Billings said the “erosion of public trust and confidence” in the force had left him with “no choice” over Mr Crompton’s position.

He said there was “clearly a difference of perception between the chief constable and the families” about the conduct of South Yorkshire police’s barristers during the inquest, which had become “an obstacle to our going forward”

Asked whether Mr Crompton had challenged the decision Dr Billings said: “I suspended him with immediate effect and he left the building”.

Addressing a hushed House of Commons, Mr Burnham said that the “cover-up” over Hillsborough had continued during the inquest, with “millions of pounds of public money spent re-telling discredited lies”.

“If the police had chosen to maintain its apology, this inquest would have been much shorter. But they didn’t and they put the families through hell once again,” he told MPs.

Mr Crompton had been due to retire in November, and by the end of the year the police force would have a new leadership “who will be able to provide a fresh start,” Dr Billings said.

Dr Billings will holds talks with the Home Office over the future of the force. Home Secretary Theresa May told MPs that prosecutions could follow the findings of the inquest, on charges including manslaughter, criminal negligence and perjury.

The Crown Prosecution Service would decide later this year whether charges should be brought, she said, but added that “no-one should impute criminal liability to anyone while the on-going investigations are still pending”.

Mr Burnham, who has been a longstanding campaigner for the Hillsborough families, said that the conclusions of the inquest should lead to “deep soul-searching” for the entire country.

In a statement which drew applause from MPs, breaking House of Commons convention, he called for greater state support to pay the legal costs of families in inquest proceedings, and asked the Government not to delay a second press standards inquiry into the relationship between the police and the media.

He said the conduct of South Yorkshire police over the inquest had proved the force “hasn’t learned and hasn’t changed” since Hillsborough.

“I don't blame the ordinary police officers, the men and women who did their best on the day and who today are out keeping our streets safe. But I do blame their leadership and culture, which seems rotten to the core,” he said, calling on the Home Secretary to order the “fundamental reform” of the force and “consider all options”.

He said the cover-up had been “advanced in the committee rooms of this House and in the press rooms of 10 Downing Street”.

“What kind of country leaves people, who did no more than wave off their loved-ones to a football match, sitting in a courtroom, 27 years later, begging for the reputation of their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and fathers? The answer is one that needs to do some deep soul-searching,” he said.

Floral tributes outside Saint George's Hall in Liverpool (Getty)

Ms May also paid tribute to the Hillsborough families, saying we would “rarely see their like again” and praised Mr Burnham’s commitment to them.

David Cameron told MPs that the families’ “search for justice” had been “met with obfuscation and hostility, instead of sympathy and answers.

“As I said to the House in 2012 about the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report, it's wrong that the families had to wait for so long and to fight so hard just to get to the truth,” he said.

“I know the whole House will want to join me in praising their courage, their patience and their resolve. They've never faltered in the pursuit of the truth and we all owe them a great debt of gratitude.”