Boris Johnson Apologises Over Hillsborough Article That Blamed Liverpool's 'Victim Culture'

Johnson Apologises For Article Blaming Liverpool's 'Victim Culture' For Hillsborough

Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was "very, very sorry" for comments made in a 2004 Spectator article about Liverpool fans involved in the Hillsborough disaster, the day after a devastating report on the tragedy was published.

The magazine, of which Johnson was editor at the time, attributed blame for the 96 deaths to Liverpool's "victim status" which had "created a peculiar, and deeply unattractive psyche among many Liverpudlians.

"They see themselves whenever possible as victims, and resent their victim status; yet at the same time they wallow in it," the leader read.

Speaking in central London at the new Amazon headquarters, the London mayor said: "I'm very, very glad that this report does lay to rest the false allegation that was made at the time about the behaviour of those fans.

"I was very, very sorry in 2004 that the Spectator did carry an editorial that partially repeated those allegations, I apologised then and I apologise now.

"I do hope the families of the 96 victims will take some comfort from this report and that they can reach some sort of closure."

David Cameron apologised on Wednesday for the handling of the Hillsborough tragedy

Mr Johnson went on: "I'm glad that this independent report has finally nailed the myth that drunken fans were in any way responsible for the deaths of 96 people.

"That was a lie that unfortunately and very, very regrettably got picked up in a leader in the Spectator in 2004, which I was then editing.

"I went to Liverpool to apologise unreservedly for that mistake and I repeat that apology today."

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