Mr Durey, a student paramedic, raised concerns about the reduction of students’ placement hours. He argued that he was victimised as a result and brought a detriment claim under Section47B of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA). He did not have any financial loss and only claimed injury to feelings.
We support changes that contribute to the fight against tax fraud – anything that improves the ability of regulators to take action against wrongdoing is in the public interest. However, rewards are no substitute for a comprehensive whistleblowing framework.
The judgment has been handed down in a critical whistleblowing case at the Court of Appeal. Protect intervened in the case – and our intervention has helped retain valuable rights for whistleblowing employees.
MPs have had their first opportunity to vote on and debate the Public Office (Accountability) Bill – better known as the Hillsborough Law. Championed by the Hillsborough families and campaigners its being presented as a way to prevent future state cover-ups such as the one they faced after the Hillsborough disaster.
From the start of September 2025, the rules on fraud got tougher. Under the new Failure to Prevent Fraud offence in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), large organisations can now face unlimited fines if they benefit from fraud – even when senior leaders had no direct involvement. The message is clear: ignorance is not a defence and turning a blind eye is no longer an option.
Embedding the Code of Ethics is challenge for any employer. But how can we ensure staff engage with and embody their organisation’s beliefs and values? In this blog we look at one approach that flips ethics on its head and breaks down barriers to Speaking Up.
Protect is intervening in a case at the Court of Appeal that is due to examine a critical aspect of whistleblowing law that concerns the statutory routes to liability and compensation available to a whistleblowing employee when they have been dismissed and victimised.
When Rowaa Ahmar joined the energy giant Drax as Head of Public Affairs & Policy she didn’t expect to end up in the middle of a whistleblower tribunal exposing deep dysfunction within the company. After a BBC documentary exposed the firm’s sustainability claims and environmental credentials Rowaa became increasingly concerned that Drax had misled the public, the government and its regulator Ofgem.
Now concluded with a settlementher, her case has exposed troubling details about the allocation of millions of pounds in government subsidies, as well as serving as a challenging tale of speaking up to powerful executives.
On the afternoon on Monday 15th September the government voted to overturn an amendment in the Employment Rights Bill to strengthen protections for whistleblowers. The amendment – which had been voted in by peers in the House of Lords – would have required the government to broaden unfair dismissal grounds and, for the first time, require large employers to take reasonable steps to investigate whistleblowing concerns.
The long-awaited Public Office (Accountability) “Hillsborough” Bill has been published aimed at ending ‘the culture of cover-ups and hiding the truth, ensuring transparency, accountability, and support for bereaved families’. The closing of ranks and cover ups from people who should be protecting the public formed an all too depressing theme for many disasters including the Grenfell Tower fire, the Infected Blood Scandal and the Post Office/Horizon scandal. However, candour means always telling the truth – not just to coroners and inquiry chairs – and the Bill’s ambitious aims will not be realised if whistleblowers are too afraid to come forward, or if – when they do – their concerns are ignored.
