One of the sources for The Sun's controversial coverage of the Hillsborough tragedy, former Tory MP Sir Irvine Patnick, has he was "deeply and sincerely sorry" for the part he played.
Sir Irvine, who faces calls to have his knighthood removed, said: "I totally accept responsibility for passing on such information without asking further questions."
The then MP for Sheffield Hallam was identified by the Hillsborough Independent Panel as one of the main sources for inaccurate stories that sought to blame Liverpool fans for the deaths of 96 people.
Sir Irvine briefed journalists that Liverpool fans were "drunk and aggressive" and forced entry into the football ground, contributing to the deadly crush.
Wednesday's panel found the origin of The Sun's story, along with negative coverage in other newspapers, was Sheffield-based White's news agency, which had been briefed by officers from South Yorkshire Police (SYP), a local Police Federation spokesman and Sir Irvine.
After the revelations emerged yesterday a Labour MP wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron calling for the former government whip to be stripped of his knighthood over his "shameful" role in the aftermath of the disaster.
Backbencher John Mann said: "The shameful and disgusting behaviour of Sir Irvine Patnick is a significant feature in the Hillsborough independent panel report and his knighthood should be removed immediately."
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said he has written to Sir Bob Kerslake, Chair of the Honours Forfeiture Committee, calling for Sir Irvine to be stripped of his knighthood.
In his letter, the Mayor condemned the former MP 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.
Mr Anderson asked for the committee to give "urgent consideration" to the actions of the former MP which, he says, have "brought the honours system into disrepute".
"He disgracefully took a lead in actively briefing the media with despicable lies about the role and behaviour of Liverpool fans that day to deflect criticism of the police and other authorities," Mr Anderson said.
In Thursday's edition the editor of The Sun Dominic Mohan apologised for his newspaper's role in the Hillsborough tragedy cover-up - with the paper printing an apology on its front page.
Its front page four days after the 1989 tragedy included claims that Liverpool fans had urinated on police officers resuscitating the dying and stolen from the dead.
The Sun's report caused widespread revulsion in the city and led to an almost-total boycott of the paper on Merseyside that exists to this day.
In light of the report the newspaper's editor at the time, Kelvin MacKenzie, offered his profuse apologies for the story's headline, The Truth, which he wrote.
In Thursday's Sun newspaper Mr MacKenzie said: "I am sorry that it was so wrong.
"It has taken more than two decades, 400,000 documents and a two-year inquiry to discover to my horror that it would have been far more accurate had I written the headline The Lies rather than The Truth."
Current editor Dominic Mohan said: "Twenty-three years ago The Sun newspaper made a terrible mistake.
"We published an inaccurate and offensive story about the events at Hillsborough. We said it was the truth - it wasn't."
In a statement issued through the Conservative Party, Sir Irvine said: "I would like to put on the record how appalled and shocked I was to discover the extent of the deceit and cover-up surrounding these events.
"It is now clear that the information I received from some police officers at the time was wholly inaccurate, misleading and plain wrong.
"However, I totally accept responsibility for passing such information on without asking further questions.
"So, many years after this tragic event, I am deeply and sincerely sorry for the part I played in adding to the pain and suffering of the victims' families."
The decision as to whether or not to remove an honour is made by the Forfeiture Committee composed of senior civil servants.
It normally removes honours when people are found to have committed a criminal act or are guilty of professional misconduct.
The committee famously recently stripped the knighthood from former RBS boss Fred Goodwin over his role in the financial crisis.
In a separate development, the police force which made "strenuous attempts" to deflect the blame for the Hillsborough tragedy onto innocent fans is considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Police Complaints commission.
South Yorkshire Police said it was looking in detail at the material released by the Hillsborough panel and its report, which showed 164 statements had been doctored by police, and that checks had been carried out on victims in an attempt to "impugn the deceased".
The force said it needed to look at the documents before it could make a decision on whether any specific matters should be referred to the police watchdog.
"South Yorkshire Police is currently reviewing a wide variety of matters raised in the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel with a view to making a referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission," the force said in a statement on Thursday.
SEE MORE
- Families of 96 Liverpool Fans Killed Herald 'The Truth' As Documents Released (PICTURES)
- David Cameron Should Set Up A Leveson-Style Public Inquiry, Neil Wallis Says
- David Cameron Makes 'Profound Apology'
- Families Of 96 Killed See Released Documents, Believe Police Cover-Up
- Kelvin MacKenzie, Former Sun Editor, Apologises To Liverpool For 'That Headline'
- Why Hillsborough Still Matters (BLOG)
- Never Walking Alone on the Road to Justice (BLOG)
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The Huffington Post UK/PA | Posted: 13/09/2012 17:59 Updated: 13/09/2012 21:55