Manchester City asked by Liverpool MP to support Hillsborough education project

A Liverpool MP has written to the chair of the board of Manchester City asking the club to get involved with a Hillsborough education project.

The letter, from Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, has been sent following chants from City fans during a minute’s silence to mark the 33^rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Manchester City at Wembley last Saturday.

Manchester City released a statement saying the club was ‘extremely disappointed’ with the actions of some City fans during the minute’s silence and aplogised to Liverpool.

Mr Byrne, who was named MP of the Year by the Patchwork Foundation in March, has led The Real Truth Legacy Project initiative, which aims to have details about the disaster taught in schools, including a Hillsborough Day in the Liverpool City Region.

The MP is a Hillsborough survivor himself and has worked with other survivors and some of the families of the 97 fans who lost their lives on the initiative.

Liverpool city councillors unanimously passed a motion from Mr Byrne in January to commemorate the disaster with an education programme.

He wrote on Twitter: “What happened at Saturday’s game proved again why education about the disaster and cover-up is vital.

“With this in mind I have written to Manchester City FC to invite them to get behind the Real Truth Legacy Project so that all City fans know the Real Truth of Hillsborough.”

In the letter Mr Byrne said: “It is only through providing education and teaching the facts about what happened on 15 April 1989 and afterwards that we will be able to put a stop to the disrespectful behaviour of some fans.

“I would like nothing more than to work with you to turn this extremely negative experience into something positive for all concerned.”

Professor Phil Scraton, principal author of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report and author of Hillsborough: The Truth has given his support to Mr Byrne.

He said: “For over three decades my research, writing and teaching about Hillsborough has been committed to raising national and international awareness of the context, aftermath and investigations into the disaster.

“The occasional abuse suffered by the bereaved and survivors, such as that from a number of Manchester City fans, shows the need to extend awareness beyond Merseyside.

“It is essential that within the school curriculum all children should study the significance, and impact on communities, of Hillsborough and other tragedies.

“That awareness should include a critical understanding of investigations, inquiries, and barriers to establishing public accountability faced by families and and survivors seeking truth. To that end I support fully Ian Byrne's initiative, The Real Truth Legacy Project.”

Manchester City has been contacted for a comment.