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The Prime Minister’s proposed appointment of former Sun editor David Dinsmore as Permanent Secretary for Communications has been condemned by families of the Hillsborough victims as a grotesque insult to decades of suffering - and a chilling signal that lessons from one of the greatest establishment cover-ups in British history are still being ignored.

Hacked Off CEO Nathan Sparkes said:

“As a News UK executive, Mr Dinsmore has overseen the decision of The Sun and The Times to refuse to join an independent regulator, The Sun’s endless denials of illegality at the newspaper – finally confirmed to be false in the cases brought by Prince Harry and Lord Watson earlier this year – and his publisher’s aggressive and desperate lobbying for the second stage of the Leveson Inquiry, which would investigate his newspaper’s role in the Hillsborough cover-up, to be scrapped.

“It is an insult to the victims of the families affected by Hillsborough, and taxpayers across the country, that he should be given any kind of public role.  The Government must urgently reconsider this appointment.”

Campaigners and bereaved relatives have expressed disbelief that a man so closely associated with The Sun - the very newspaper responsible for the most damaging lies about Hillsborough - is being considered for one of the most important roles in public office.

The letter highlights the fact that, in remaining outside independent regulation and accountability, The Sun has not changed.

“This is a slap in the face to every single family that lost someone at Hillsborough,” said one family member. “It sends a message that those responsible for lies, smears and cover-ups will not only escape justice – they’ll be promoted.”

In the days following the 1989 disaster, TheSun, under its editorial leadership, ran a front page falsely accusing fans of stealing from the dead and urinating on police officers. These lies weren’t mistakes. They were calculated, politically convenient falsehoods that mirrored South Yorkshire Police’s now-discredited narrative – helping to shield powerful institutions from accountability.

David Dinsmore has held senior editorial and executive roles at The Sun and its parent company News UK for decades. His tenure includes a criminal conviction for coverage which could have resulted in a breach of the anonymity of a sexual offence victim, a vehement defence of Page 3 objectification, and ongoing denial of wrongdoing in relation to The Sun’s involvement in illegal activity– later admitted to in claims brought by Prince Harry and Lord Watson.

He is not just unfit for public office – his appointment actively damages public trust.

Hacked Off Board Director Emma Jones said:

“Hillsborough families have endured more than thirty years of lies, obstruction and betrayal. To appoint someone who led the very paper that defamed them is a shocking misjudgement. It proves, yet again, why the press cannot be left to regulate itself – and why Leveson Part Two must be delivered without delay.”

A Press that Refuses Accountability

The Sun and its parent companyNews UK have repeatedly refused to join the independent,Leveson-compliant press regulator IMPRESS, opting instead for the discredited, industry-run IPSO - a body with no real powers to investigate or enforce standards. When Leveson Part Two was due to investigate corruption between police, press and politicians - including around Hillsborough - TheSun’s publishers successfully lobbied the Government to shut it down.

This is what happens in the absence of genuine accountability: perpetrators of press wrongdoing rise into public office whilesurvivors have no justice.

Hacked Off Demands Action:

We echo the calls of Hillsborough families and demand the Government:

1. Immediately withdraw the appointment of David Dinsmore.
2. Reinstate and complete Leveson Part Two, as was promised to victims and the public.
3. Introduce independent press regulation with powers to protect the public and hold publishers to account.

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