Kelvin Mackenzie and The Sun can apologise until they have no breath left to apologise with: Liverpool will never forgive them, and Liverpool will never forget.

23 years ago I had no connection with Liverpool, and wasn’t especially a football fan. My great aunt Dorothy lived in Hillsborough, so took a keen interest in the club and the ground where 96 Liverpool fans died. Consequently, even in Birmingham, I felt the sorrow and futility of what happened very keenly.

My A level French teacher (who was actually French) at the time, thinking she was being right-on and current, presented us with an article on the disaster from a French newspaper as a comprehension exercise. I took no part in the lesson as I spent most of it trying not to be sick.

“…et combien de ces gens sont morts…?”

Oh, fuck off, you HAVEN’T A CLUE HAVE YOU??

23 years later the families of the football fans who died are still looking for closure and justice. They won’t let it go. I don’t mean to malign other cities in the UK for their lack of tenacity, but quite honestly, no-one can hold a grudge like a scouser. And in this instance, I agree that they shouldn’t let it lie.

I have no illusions that crowd management at football matches at the time was very difficult. This wasn’t the first incident, though. It could have been managed so much better. That could be the understatement of the century, I’m aware of that.

Today’s news is welcome. It’s fitting that David Cameron gets to apologise for actions carried out on Thatcher’s watch. I ate my tea this evening listening to the seemingly endless roll call, and the familiar sick feeling came back.

They really shouldn’t let it lie. 23 years FFS.