Home Office is dysfunctional, says ex-borders watchdog David Neal – BBC News

Posted March 11th, 2024 in government departments, immigration, news, whistleblowers by tracey

‘The Home Office is dysfunctional and in urgent need of reform, the recently-sacked independent borders inspector has told the BBC’s Today Podcast.’

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BBC News, 11th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Julian Assange to find out next week if he can appeal against extradition to US – The Guardian

Posted February 19th, 2024 in appeals, confidentiality, extradition, freedom of expression, news, spying, whistleblowers by tracey

‘In a matter of days Julian Assange will find out if he has exhausted all potential challenges through the British courts to being extradited to the US, where he could spend the rest of his life in prison. The two-day hearing is scheduled to take place in London on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, as he seeks leave to appeal against his extradition for publishing thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Humiliated Covid whistleblower says boss tried to ‘break’ her – BBC News

Posted December 5th, 2023 in coronavirus, doctors, employment tribunals, news, unfair dismissal, whistleblowers by sally

‘A senior doctor who won a record £3.2m payout says her boss tried to “break” her after she raised concerns about how Covid was being handled.’

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BBC News, 5th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Research Briefing: Whistleblowing and gagging clauses – House of Commons Library

Posted November 14th, 2023 in contract of employment, disclosure, employment, news, parliament, whistleblowers by sally

‘This briefing covers legal protections for workers who whistleblow at work, as well as attempts to silence workers using settlement agreements.’

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House of Commons Library, 13th November 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Letby inquiry must also examine NHS ‘cover-up culture’, says ombudsman – The Guardian

‘The public inquiry into Lucy Letby’s crimes must be widened to examine the NHS’s “cover-up culture” over failures in patient safety, the health service ombudsman has said.’

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The Guardian, 15th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Global whistleblower protection laws: a comprehensive guide to legal requirements – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 14th, 2023 in disclosure, EC law, foreign jurisdictions, news, whistleblowers by tracey

‘Whistleblowing complaints are growing in frequency all over the world and in all kinds of organisations.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th September 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Weinstein whistleblower attacks Bar Council over NDAs stance – Legal Futures

‘The woman who first broke a Harvey Weinstein non-disclosure agreement (NDAs) has strongly criticised the Bar Council for dismissing the growing evidence of NDA abuse.’

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Legal Futures, 4th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Research Briefing: Whistleblowing and gagging clauses – House of Commons Library

Posted September 1st, 2023 in disclosure, employment, news, parliament, professional conduct, whistleblowers by sally

‘This briefing covers legal protections for workers who whistleblow at work, as well as attempts to silence workers using settlement agreements.’

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House of Commons Library, 31st August 2023

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

NHS whistleblowers need more protection, expert warns – BBC News

Posted July 3rd, 2023 in bullying, hospitals, inquiries, news, unfair dismissal, whistleblowers by tracey

‘Protections for NHS staff to speak out about wrongdoing may be insufficient to prevent another big scandal like that at the Mid Staffordshire hospital trust, an expert has told BBC News.’

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BBC News, 3rd July 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Whistleblowing protection as a key consideration of investigations best practice – Kingsley Napley

Posted June 29th, 2023 in disclosure, EC law, news, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

‘When an individual blows the whistle on suspected malpractice or wrongdoing in the workplace, this can lead to an internal investigation. A huge range of issues can be raised by whistle-blowers, and how the whistle-blower’s own rights are dealt with is a crucial consideration when scoping an investigation. Following on from World Whistle-blowers’ Day on 23 June, Emmanuelle Ries and Caroline Day provide a whistle stop tour of the key features of whistleblowing protection in the UK and in Europe.’

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Kinglsey Napley, 28th June 2023

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Julian Assange ‘dangerously close’ to US extradition after losing latest legal appeal – The Guardian

Posted June 9th, 2023 in appeals, extradition, news, whistleblowers by tracey

‘Julian Assange is “dangerously close” to being extradited to the US after losing his latest legal appeal, his family and observers of his long-running legal challenge say.
His lawyers say they will appeal again to the same court, amid growing fears he could spend the rest of his life in prison for publishing thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents.’

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The Guardian, 9th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hospital boss claims unfair dismissal after chairman ‘bullied’ her – BBC News

‘A former NHS chief executive is suing her employer, saying she was “bullied, harassed, intimidated and undermined” by the hospital trust’s chairman.’

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BBC News, 12th May 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK to review whistleblowing laws to boost compliance – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 3rd, 2023 in complaints, employment, news, whistleblowers by sally

‘UK employers will be increasingly required to have in place appropriate channels for whistleblower reporting which are properly resourced, accountable and protect confidentiality, as the government is considering ways to improve the whistleblowing laws applicable in England, Wales and Scotland.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 31st March 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Newcastle care home whistleblowers alert CQC to failings – BBC News

Posted March 24th, 2023 in care homes, news, ombudsmen, whistleblowers by tracey

‘A care home has been placed in special measures after whistleblowers alerted the care watchdog to serious failings.’

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BBC News, 24th March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Care worker whistleblower outed by Home Office over exploitation claims – The Guardian

‘A victim of suspected labour abuse who confidentially disclosed details of exploitation to government investigators says she has been subjected to threats and intimidation after she was outed to her employer.’

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The Guardian, 5th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sacked GCHQ employee launches legal claim under whistleblowing defence – The Guardian

‘A GCHQ employee who was sacked after calling publicly for the resignation of the UK’s most senior civil servant during the final weeks of Boris Johnson’s government is launching a legal claim under whistleblowing legislation.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Revealed: scores of child asylum seekers kidnapped from Home Office hotel – The Guardian

‘Dozens of asylum-seeking children have been kidnapped by gangs from a Brighton hotel run by the Home Office in a pattern apparently being repeated across the south coast, an Observer investigation can reveal.’

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The Guardian, 21st January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

National security bill may have ‘chilling effect’ on investigative journalism in UK – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2023 in bills, intelligence services, media, news, spying, whistleblowers by sally

‘The UK’s proposed national security bill could have a “chilling effect” on investigative journalism because it sets too low a bar on what constitutes spying, the deputy chair of the Telegraph newspapers has warned.’

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The Guardian, 11th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Whistleblowing, Employment Tribunals and Mediation: about time to think outside the box? – Martin Fodder – Littleton Chambers

Posted January 10th, 2023 in chambers articles, disclosure, news, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

‘The Public Interest Disclosure Act, which introduced Part IVA and S.103A into the Employment Rights Act 1996, was regarded as pioneering, world-leading, legislation when it was passed in 1998. The importance protecting whistleblowers has become generally accepted in the years since then, not only in the United Kingdom but in Europe and beyond.. It is a reasonable assumption that a great deal of “whistleblowing” takes place each and every day which, before 1998, would not have occurred and it does so without any adverse action being taken against the “whistleblowers”. That is a massive cultural change for the better. PIDA and those who framed it must take a great deal of credit for it. However there is no longer a consensus that the legislative framework and the way in which it operates in practice is fit for the purposes of, on the one hand, ensuring that responsible whistleblowers are protected from retribution and, on the other, seeing that those wrongs or hazards to which responsible whistleblowers have drawn attention are remedied or prevented. Indeed Georgina Halford-Hall CEO Whistleblowers UK, writing in the Introduction to All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Report “Making Whistleblowing Work for Society” said, “In 2020, PIDA is the equivalent of having teeth extracted without anaesthetic.” It is difficult to disagree. And in 2022 the orthodontic experience she was referring to is likely to be even more painful.’

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Littleton Chambers, 5th December 2022

Source: littletonchambers.com

Doctors raise safety fears at Birmingham hospitals – BBC News

Posted December 2nd, 2022 in doctors, health & safety, hospitals, news, whistleblowers by tracey

‘Whistleblowers at one of England’s worst performing hospital trusts have said a climate of fear among staff is putting patients at risk.’

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BBC News, 1st December 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk