A session on how to create a whistleblowing chronology to assist the Employment Tribunal. - Ali Kazmi

On Tuesday evening, a panel convened by Lawrence Davies LLM brought together Dawn Butler MP, Polina Zabrodskaya, and esteemed colleagues from WhistleblowersUK, Dr. Chris Day and Nigel McLennan, to discuss “Whistleblowers, Candour, Reward, and Retaliation.” The discussion highlighted the realities faced by whistleblowers and the urgent need for legislative reform.

Powerful Testimonies of Candour and Retaliation

Each panelist shared deeply moving insights into their experiences with whistleblowing and the personal costs endured for speaking out in the public interest:

• Nigel McLennan exposed how trustees are left completely vulnerable when they seek to uphold integrity.

• Dr. Chris Day voiced his frustration over the failure of the Employment Tribunal (ET) to challenge the deliberate destruction of evidence that supported his claim.

• Polina Zabrodskaya drew striking parallels to Russia, emphasizing the extortionate and prohibitive costs of doing the right thing in both legal and moral terms.

• Lawrence Davies made a compelling case for adopting a U.S.-style rewards system, advocating for punitive damages to deter wrongdoing and incentivize whistleblowing.

The room was packed with whistleblowers, many sharing their heart-wrenching stories, all united in a powerful call for legislative reform.

The Lone Parliamentarian in the Room

It was ironic that among all present, the only Parliamentarian in attendance was Dawn Butler MP. Her warmth and genuine compassion for those affected by failed whistleblowing laws were commendable. Her presence stood in stark contrast to the glaring absence of other MPs, highlighting the missed opportunity for wider Parliamentary engagement in the fight for whistleblower protections.

The Office of the Whistleblower Bill: A Call for Action

During the discussion, the #OfficeOfTheWhistleblowerBill was promoted, scheduled for its 6th reading in the Commons on 25th April. This bill, designed by whistleblowers, for whistleblowers, has been developed by WhistleblowersUK and championed by cross-party Parliamentarians since 2018. It encapsulates the recommendations of thousands of whistleblowers, regulators, academics, policymakers, and legal professionals.

The Government has an opportunity to champion whistleblowing and prevent catastrophic scandals such as Horizon, Grenfell, grooming gangs, maternity and NHS failures, fraud, trafficking, cybercrime, and even Partygate. Despite the undeniable financial benefits whistleblowing brings to the Treasury, the government continues to relegate this bill to the backbenches, seemingly oblivious to the need for urgent reform.

10:00 — Introduction to whistleblowing and how to manage whistleblowing cases.

12:00 — Defence & Security: How to manage official secrets and whistleblowing.

14:00 — When the media becomes a prescribed person for whistleblowing.

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Jonathan Taylor, former global counsel and now vindicated SMB whistleblower will provide an insight into his experience and share tips for other senior professionals before joining a panel discussion with industry experts and policy makers on how to make whistleblowing work for businesses and society.

Please note this a ticket only event

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England Cricket Coach Sangeetha Theivendra will lead a discussion with current and former members of the sporting community.

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A presentation from the Hillsborough Law team supported by the WhistleblowersUK legal panel, followed by a roundtable discussion with UK business leaders.

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An opportunity to meet people who have blown the whistle and hear first hand how their experience changed their lives forever.

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Exploring the role of technology in the facilitation of wrongdoing including the Post Office scandal

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Compliance sector leaders Navex host an event on the upcoming Workers Rights Act and UK Corporate Governance Scheme

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An unmissable opportunity to meet international programme leaders including representatives from the Ukraine and United States to discuss whistleblowing programmes as part of an anti-fraud & corruption policy.

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A unique opportunity to meet whistleblowers, industry experts, and discuss the new Whistleblowing Bill with the team who wrote it and understand the ‘New Approach to Speaking Up’.

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As part of WhistleblowerUK’s ongoing call for evidence, starting with the Eversheds MLRO forum event on 25 June; Forvis Mazars will be hosting our next event on the afternoon of 3 July 2024 followed by drinks.

Join us for a witness statement masterclass with Eloise Ramage-Hayes, Vice Chair of the WBUK Legal Panel, and Simon Cohen from WLegal

We will be joined by David Collins, reporter for the Sunday Times, as our guest speaker

We will be joined by Dr Phil Hammond who will talk about the Whistleblowing Bill, and by Charlie Forest who will talk about how AI tools can be beneficial to those going through legal proceedings.

WhistleblowersUK join one of our supporters, Navex, to hear about their Whistleblowing solutions.

Our regular Associate Members Meeting

Our regular Associate Members Meeting