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Protect responds to Government Official Secrets Act reform with calls for a Public Interest Defence

28th July 202126th July 2021 by Alex Allen

Protect along with WIN (Whistleblowing International Network) have jointly responded to a government consultation on reforming the Official Secrets Act 1989. Our response states, “We have long held the view that the Official Secrets Act should contain a Public Interest Defence (PID) which is vital to the functioning of a democracy. Whistleblowing is necessary so ... Read more

Consultation Responses and Policy Briefings

1st December 202326th July 2021 by Alex Allen

CONSULTATION RESPONSES AND POLICY BRIEFINGS Consultations are our opportunity to share with Parliament and Government our unparalleled experience of advising 3,000 whistleblowers a year and working with hundreds of employers to improve workplace whistleblowing cultures. We respond to consultations so that we can argue for better laws and public policy to protect whistleblowers and the ... Read more

Why calling out wrong doing in the security and intelligence community needs reform

26th July 202121st July 2021 by Alex Allen

Last month former intelligence contractor whistleblower Reality Winner was finally released from jail for leaking classified information. But many argue she and Chelsea Manning before her, had very little choice but to knowingly commit a crime by leaking information to the media. Whistleblowers in the security service in the UK and US need greater protections … Read more

Will the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) raid damage whistleblowing?

16th July 202116th July 2021 by Alex Allen

16 July 2021 Protect is concerned by reports that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have conducted raids of two houses in the South of England in relation to suspected data breaches following a story appearing in the Sun on the 26th June involving former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, breaching ... Read more

UK whistleblower Jonathan Taylor finally freed from extradition torment almost one year on

8th July 2021 by Alex Allen

We are delighted to announce that on Wednesday 7 July 2021, Croatian Justice Minister Ivan Malenica formally rejected the request by Monaco to extradite UK whistleblower Jonathan Taylor. Jonathan Taylor’s Support Group extends its gratitude to the Minister for taking the right decision. The move comes following sustained calls for the past 11 months from ... Read more

Protect thank Croatian Justice Minister for doing the right thing over Jonathan Taylor

8th July 20218th July 2021 by Alex Allen

Croatian Justice Minister Ivan Malenica has rejected attempts by Monaco to extradite UK whistleblower Jonathan Taylor on baseless criminal charges – and Jonathan Taylor’s Support Group thanks the Minister for doing the right thing. The move comes following calls from human and civil rights campaigners across Europe – and UK MPs – for his immediate release and safe ... Read more

No Lugano Convention – what’s next for UK-EU whistleblowing disputes?

6th July 20216th July 2021 by Alex Allen

Introduction Cross-border disputes between the UK and its European neighbours have, thanks to Brexit, become that bit more complicated. The two main regimes governing jurisdiction in cross-border disputes, namely the Brussels I Regulation and the Lugano Convention 2007 ceased to apply in the UK as of 1 January 2021. The Brussels Regulation I sets out the ... Read more

On World Whistleblowers Day – remember wellbeing for whistleblowers

24th June 202123rd June 2021 by Alex Allen

To mark World Whistleblowers Day – 23 June – Protect partnered with Linklaters to host a free webinar for employers to highlight the importance of caring for staff who whistleblow, as we all know speaking up is not an easy thing to do. Protect Chief Executive Liz Gardiner welcomed almost 100 delegates from FTSE 100 … Read more

Protect in Parliament – a six-month review

1st July 202123rd June 2021 by Alex Allen

A week is a long time in politics, and six months is even longer. At Protect, we have been busy lobbying MPs and government officials to improve legal protections for whistleblowers as part of our campaign, 'Let's Fix UK Whistleblowing Law'. This is a snapshot of the work we have done over the first half ... Read more

The UK Government must push for the immediate release of UK whistleblower Jonathan Taylor

5th June 2021 by Alex Allen

British whistleblower Jonathan Taylor has lifted the lid once again on corruption involving revenues emanating from the major British oil company BP, as reported in today’s Daily Telegraph. Extradition Fight Jonathan, a UK citizen, is currently fighting extradition to Monaco. On arrival in Croatia on a family holiday in July 2020, he was initially detained … Read more