Former Leeds University Union president Jack Straw is warning that Leeds’ police chief should be “considering his position” in light of the Hillsborough review.

The former Home Secretary went on to condemn the “culture of impunity” among the police and has expressed regret that more was not revealed in the initial 1997 inquiry.

Sir Norman Bettison, Chief Constable for West Yorkshire and head of police in Leeds, is resisting calls for to step down after his role in the Hillsborough disaster and the subsequent review came under fire.

Victims’ relatives have also accused Sir Norman of being part of the police cover up that placed blame on the 96 fans who died.

Bettison, who was present at the match and a member of the review group, today said in a statement: “Fans behaviour, to the extent that it was relevant at all, made the job of the police, in the crush outside Leppings Lane turnstiles, harder than it needed to be.”

However he added, “it didn’t cause the disaster” and that it was caused “mainly through a lack of police control.”

Bettison had been off duty when police opened an exit gate to deal with overcrowding. When the crush began he said he put himself on duty, giving assistance to those in the stands.

Author: Rehema Figueiredo