THE Hillsborough debate in the Commons last night was launched by Walton MP Steve Rotheram, who was at the match.

Liverpool’s former Lord Mayor said: “The loss of 96 innocent lives was bad enough, Mr Speaker, but the tragic nature of their deaths was exacerbated by what happened next.

“Instead of those at fault taking responsibility for their actions, a coordinated campaign began – to shift the blame – and look for scapegoats.

“To this day – nobody has been held to account for Hillsborough.”

He urged David Cameron to apologise for the previous government failures surrounding the disaster and said the issue would not go away until there was “justice for the 96”.

He attacked the “smears” and “establishment cover-up” which led to fans being blamed for the 1989 disaster and urged the Commons to support a motion calling for the full, uncensored disclosure of government-related documents.

Mr Rotheram said the debate was a “victory for democracy, a victory for people power, but it remains to be seen whether it will be a victory for the families”.

He added: “They have been let down so many times that they will not be surprised if there are those that would prefer for this to simply just go away.

“Let me make it absolutely clear from the start: this issue will never just go away – not until there is justice for the 96.”

Mr Rotheram read out the names of the dead as MPs sat in respectful silence.

He told the Commons the debate would not be long enough to examine the full details of the “gross, 22-year injustice” with “misinformation” beginning almost as soon as the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, was abandoned at 3.06pm, on April 15, 1989.

“At 3.15pm, Graham Kelly, the then chief executive of the Football Association, went to the police control box where he was told by the now discredited match commander (David Duckenfield) that Liverpool fans had rushed a gate into the ground, creating the fatal crush in the central pens.

“This was cowardice and deceit of the highest order and the fact was that no gate had been rushed and Duckenfield, the match commander, himself had personally ordered the gate to be opened.

“But this disgraceful lie set the tone for all that came later.”

He said Mr Kelly later gave an interview to the BBC implying fans had rushed the gate and so “allowed himself to be embroiled in this treachery”.

Mr Rotheram also tore into The Sun over its infamous “The Truth” headline and story, which alleged drunken and criminal behaviour by Liverpool fans.

“This was one of the cruellest blows,” he said as he branded the paper’s then editor, Kelvin MacKenzie, a “pariah”.

He said: “This is a man who preaches about free speech, but who dehumanised the deaths of 96 people for a cheap headline.ŠWhat an absolute hypocrite.

“Months later, the rag he edited admitted that the allegations it had made were totally false – but the damage had been done.

“To this day, the people of Merseyside don’t buy that newspaper.

“But it has taken the Hackgate allegations with Murdoch’s News International for people to at long last sit up and take notice of the claims we made 22 years ago – that there may be some truth to our allegations of collusion between the press, certain politicians and the police.”