10,000 back Liverpool Mayor's demand key Hillsborough figures are stripped of Knighthoods (From Wirral Globe)

10,000 back Liverpool Mayor's demand key Hillsborough figures are stripped of Knighthoods

3:27pm Friday 21st September 2012 in News

MORE than 10,000 people have so far signed e-petitions calling for key figures involved in the Hillsborough cover up to be stripped of their Knighthoods.

Last week, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson wrote to Sir Bob Kerslake, chairman of the Honours Forfeiture Committee, calling for honours given to Sir Irvine Patnick and Sir Norman Bettison to be revoked.

The petition calling for the removal of Sir Irvine Patnick’s Knighthood stands at around 6,500, while approximately 4,000 are calling for Sir Norman Bettison to be stripped of his Knighthood and Queen’s Police Medal.

It comes after the Hillsborough Independent Panel revealed that Patnick, former MP for Sheffield Hallam, took the lead in actively briefing the media with lies about the role and responsibility of Liverpool FC fans at Hillsborough.

Twelve of those who died as a result of the disaster were from Wirral.

In his letter, the Mayor condemned him for a “vile and appalling smear campaign” which has led to fans being “vilified and stigmatised” to deflect criticism from South Yorkshire Police and other authorities.

He requested that the committee gives “urgent consideration to the actions of the former MP which have brought the honours system into disrepute and on the basis of the overwhelming misery that this man has brought to the people of Liverpool.”

Sir Norman Bettison was previously a chief Inspector and then superintendent at South Yorkshire Police at the time of the disaster. The independent panel report highlights his production of a video tape which sought to present Liverpool FC fans as being to blame.

As well as calling for him to be stripped of his Knighthood and QPM (Queen’s Police Medal), Mayor Anderson is demanding Liverpool John Moores University remove his Honorary Fellowship.

Sir Irvine Patnick apologised last week for his part in the smear campaign saying he had been "misled."

Sir Norman Bettison, who in 1998 began a four-year run as chief constable of Merseyside, has denied any wrong-doing. His role in Hillsborough is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

E-petitions are on the city council website for people to back the call – and people can add their name by visiting www.liverpool.gov.uk.