Hillsborough charges: silence is golden

Today marked a major milestone on the journey from truth, via justice to accountability. The CPS' decision to bring charges against six individuals in relation to the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans at Hillsborough was unimaginable five years ago, before the Hillsborough Independent Panel published its report. Since then, the long and tortuous road trodden by the families, their friends and supporters, has found a way forward where darks clouds have been replaced by the bright sunlight of transparency.There is so much to say about today's decision and its far-reaching implications, not just for Hillsborough but for society in the UK and beyond, but now is not the right time. Now is the time to keep our counsel; to hold our tongue; to make sure that nothing can stop the due process of the law taking it course. We must all - everyone who cares about justice and accountability for our Hillsborough brothers and sisters and their families - hold our nerve now to ensure nothing gets in the way of fair trials for those accused.Once the legal process is completed, there will be plenty of time for further comment. Today, let us just take a breath, remember the long struggle and the extraordinary sacrifices mades the families, remember all those that helped us get to here and remember that today, and for some time to come, silence is truly golden.#ben2b40