Cooper: Cops must be forced to testify

Ms Cooper will press for emergency legislation amid fears that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) lacks sufficient powers to uncover the truth about the police response to the 1989 tragedy.

Police have been accused of perpetrating a cover-up after a human crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest led to the deaths of 96 people.

In the biggest ever inquiry into police action, the IPCC is to investigate serving and former officers over what happened on the day of the tragedy and in the weeks that followed.

Questions have been raised over whether manslaughter charges should be brought over the deaths.

However, the IPCC cannot force serving police officers to attend interviews if they are not themselves suspected of criminal behaviour or misconduct.

Retired officers cannot be compelled at all - potentially a serious problem for the inquiry given the time that has passed since the events in question.

In a Commons debate on Hillsborough tomorrow, Labour will offer to work with the government on legislation or any other way of remedying shortcomings in the IPCC's powers.

Ms Cooper said: "I am concerned that much more still needs to be done to strengthen the inquiry arrangements.

"Although the IPCC can pursue officers it believes have committed crimes, it doesn't have the powers to compel serving or former officers to be interviewed as witnesses. Nor can it compel civilians to give evidence.

"Everything possible should be done now to remove these obstacles to justice for the Hillsborough families.

"The IPCC has itself called for more powers. We believe emergency legislation is needed to give the IPCC the extra powers it needs and has asked for, or the government will need to find some other way to set up a proper independent investigation into what happened in South Yorkshire police."

A Home Office spokesman said Home Secretary Theresa May would invite Labour to discuss its proposals.

"We welcome this suggestion. The Home Secretary has already said she would like to increase the powers of the IPCC, so she will invite the opposition to discuss this further," the spokesman said.