‘Proposals by the Law Commission to reform the 1989 Official Secrets Act (OSA) could lead to the imprisonment of civil servants and journalists for disclosing information that would be available to anyone asking for it under the Freedom of Information Act, a leading campaigner for freedom of information has said.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 15th May 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The Court of Appeal has reversed the decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal which had decided that a junior doctor’s contention that he was “a worker” in relation to Health Education England should be struck out as having no reasonable prospect of success. The decision is of importance not only to junior doctors but also more generally. Martin Fodder and Jeremy Lewis, two of the authors of Whistleblowing, Law and Practice, 3rd Edition, OUP, 2017 of Littleton, consider the judgment. David Reade QC and Nicholas Siddall (both also of Littleton) appeared in the case representing Health Education England.’
Littleton Chambers, 9th May 2017
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
‘Whistleblowers and journalists could be imprisoned for revealing documents that can be obtained through freedom of information requests, campaigners have warned.’
The Guardian, 14th May 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A public interest defence should be created to protect journalists and whistleblowers who disclose secret information that reveals serious criminal activity or widespread breaches of human rights, an alliance of free speech organisations has said.’
The Guardian, 2nd May 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Whistleblowing charities and law firms have called for companies to offer more protection to workers who flag up internal problems after the chief executive of Barclays attempted to track down the author of anonymous letters.’
The Guardian, 11th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Some people may prefer the quiet life choosing not to rock the boat unless they really have to. Others could feel that the only correct thing to do is to spill the beans.’
The Independent, 10th April 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘When I spoke out about corruption in the charity, I was ostracised and then fired. Little has changed since then. My advice is proceed with caution’
The Guardian, 10th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘An insider in the tobacco industry has revealed some of the unscrupulous tactics it is using to avoid new restrictions governing the marketing of cigarettes that come into force next month.’
The Guardian, 9th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘On 20 March 2017 the Government published draft Regulations with a view to providing whistleblowing protection to applicants for NHS employment [1]. A consultation has been launched. Some two years after the publication of the report by Sir Robert Francis QC into whistleblowing in NHS, Freedom to Speak Up, the draft Regulations aim to implement the recommendation that consideration be given to outlawing discrimination against whistleblowers in recruitment by NHS employers. (Legislation giving power to make these regulations – s.49B of the Employment Rights Act 1996 – has been on the statute book since 6 May 2015).’
Littleton Chambers, 21st March 2017
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
‘The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an advertising campaign targeting illegal cartels, offering anonymity and a reward of up to £100,000 for whistleblowers.’
OUT-LAW.com, 22nd March 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
‘NHS whistleblowers will be entitled to compensation if they are stopped from getting new jobs in the health service because of their disclosures, the government will announce.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th March 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘A study raising concerns about journalists’ ability to protect sources and whistleblowers was launched in the House of Lords last Wednesday.’
Uk Human Rights Blog, 3rd March 2017
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Whistleblowers need better legal protection because they are far easier to identify in the digital era and successive laws have undermined their status, according to a report by media lawyers.’
The Guardian, 22nd February 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Self referral, co-operation and a balance of mitigating factors were thought to be essential ingredients before a DPA could be considered by a prosecutor. It seems only one existed in this case yet the UK’s largest DPA to date followed.’
Fulcrum Chambers, 20th January 2017
Source: www.fulcrumchambers.com
‘The judgment of the EAT in Eiger Securities LLP v Korshunova [2016] UKEAT 0149_16_0212, 6th December 2016 has attracted a fair amount of comment. It concerned the claims by a broker, Ms Korshunova, that 3 client accounts had been allocated away from her and she had then been dismissed because she had made a protected disclosure as to the impropriety of her manager (Mr Ashton) using her password and terminal. The ET upheld claims of detriment and dismissal for whistleblowing. The EAT (Slade J) remitted the case allowing 3 of the 5 grounds of appeal. ‘
Littleton Chambers, 23rd January 2017
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
‘With its proposed changes to the Official Secrets Act, the Law Commission would make it all but impossible for government wrongdoing to be exposed.’
The Guardian, 13th February 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Our prisons appear to be in a state of permanent crisis but what little we on the outside know about what goes inside our chaotic and violent jails owes little to journalists. Media has been effectively banned by the Government from going into prisons.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 31st January 2017
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
‘A lone whistleblower has won a 13-year “David and Goliath battle” against HSBC and Britain’s chief financial watchdog, resulting in a multimillion-pound compensation payout to thousands of people.’
The Guardian, 20th January 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A Labour MP has called for a whistle-blowing service to be set up for staff who are sexually assaulted by MPs, in order to help them come forward.’
The Independent, 29th November 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 introduced a substantial amendment to s.47B Employment Rights Act 1996. The newly inserted subsections (1A) – (1E) allowed a worker to bring an action for whistleblowing detriment against a co-worker or agent of the employer directly.’
Littleton Chambers, 7th November 2016
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
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