Ninety-six Liverpool fans were killed in the disaster A petition calling for Hillsborough disaster Cabinet papers to be released has reached 100,000 signatures - enough for a Commons debate to be considered.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish and Newcastle United player Joey Barton used Twitter to urge people to sign the Home Office website petition.It follows a ruling by Information Commissioner Christopher Graham that the papers should be published.
E-petitions with 100,000 signatures must be considered for debate.
Celebrities including former Liverpool player Michael Owen, musician Billy Bragg, actor Simon Pegg and the comedian Dara O Briain added their names to the petition on the Home Office website.
The Cabinet Office has said it will appeal against the information commissioner's publication decision because it believes the Hillsborough Independent Panel, established under the Labour government, should oversee the disclosure of documents relating to the tragedy.
Ninety-six Liverpool fans died in the disaster at the FA cup semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on 15 April, 1989.
'Petition still live' A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "The e-petition has now reached 100,000 signatures and the government will notify the Backbench Business Committee in the House of Commons in order that the committee can consider its suitability for debate when Parliament returns in September.
"The e-petition will remain live, and people will be able to continue adding their signatures. The government will respond to those who have signed the e-petition in due course."
Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotherham has urged people to continue signing the petition.
The Hillsborough families feel they are nearer to the truth, their support group said "It has got to go through the right procedure," she said.
But she said she felt the families were nearer to "getting the truth".
"The government has got to listen to the people," she said.
"We have been saying it for 22 years. Give us the truth of Hillsborough, let us all get on with our lives."
Andy Burnham, former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said he felt the government had made a mistake in appealing against the information commissioner's ruling.
"The prime minister does need to intervene now and overrule that decision otherwise it will damage trust in the disclosure process."
He agreed that the panel had to control the process and give the information to the families ahead of members of the public but said the 100,000 people who had signed the petition had done a "great thing".
'Suffered so much' He said he felt the issue had to be debated in the House of Commons as "nobody can be in any doubt now on the mood of the country about the Hillsborough disaster".
He added: "They [the families] have suffered so much down the years. They now need the full truth. Nothing else will do. The government has to deliver that."
A spokesman for the Hillsborough Independent Panel said: "Following recent media coverage of the Cabinet Office's decision to appeal the release of Cabinet Office papers concerning the Hillsborough disaster, the Hillsborough Independent Panel affirms its independence of government in carrying out its research, publishing an analytical report and establishing a comprehensive public archive of documents and other materials.
"The panel is grateful for the continuing support of the Hillsborough families in taking forward its unique and important work."
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