Lessons will be learned: Hillsborough

The tired mantra of those in authority over us was chanted several times during this morning’s Today programme. We hear this after every disaster - social, financial or ‘accident’ - to the point that it is now deeply insulting to hear it trotted out again. 

“This is how our society works folks. People in power do what they like, confident that they are above the law, outside the reach of democratic scrutiny and accountability, confident that by the time the truth is allowed to slip out they will be long gone. Twenty/ thirty years later a Minister will stand up and apologise for the actions of their predecessors.
No doubt in thirty years time the Prime Minister of the day will apologise for the British Government and Security Services complicity in the extraordinary rendition programme and the lies, evasions and cover ups involved in suppressing the truth for so long.
The only way of addressing this, is to keep pushing for greater transparency, less official secrecy. The Freedom of Information Act was a start, but the pressure for ever more open government must be kept up. Note Blairs recent comments expressing his regrets at allowing the Freedom of Information Act to see the light of day.” Time2Retire writing on the Comment section of the Online Guardian

One thing is very clear. Lessons are not learned. 

The actual litany from our betters goes something like this: 

1) Do not get found out.

2) Do not get caught.

3) Do not admit anything.

4) If you do get caught - then lie - and lie big and often.

5) Only at the point of dying can you admit to having a few ‘regrets’.

Steve Bell in The Guardian has his own take on who was responsible.