APPG Report - Whistleblowing: The Personal Cost of Doing the Right Thing and the Cost to Society of Ignoring it

The notion of drawing attention to wrongdoing by ‘blowing the whistle’ originates from the Metropolitan Police Force who in February 1884 issued 21,000 whistles, the nineteenth century mobile phone! The effectiveness of blowing the whistle can be seen to this day on sports fields around the world. A whistle remains the most effective means of being heard above the crowd and drawing attention to an issue.

In 1998 the UK became the first EU nation to introduce legal rights and protections for whistleblowers when Sir Richard Shepherd introduced The Public Interest Disclosure Act. While ground-breaking it has failed in its most important role - to protect the whistleblower - perhaps because ‘Whistleblowing’ still has no definition in law. It is however generally understood to be an act by an individual or individuals that exposes wrongdoing or perceived wrongdoing on the part of an organisation of any kind.

Not a week goes by when Whistleblowing is not making headlines around the world exposing one major tragedy or scandal after another: Gosport Memorial Hospital, Cambridge Analytica, Lux Leaks, Barclays CEO, Lloyds/HBOS cover-up, Mid Staffs or the Rotherham Grooming Gangs. What does not always reach the headlines is the appalling and unlawful treatment of the whistleblowers who by just doing the right thing risk everything to protect others. Despite acceptance that whistleblowers are the single most cost effective and important means of identifying and addressing wrongdoing, they become the target of retaliation by organisations determined to protect their reputation

Read the All-Party Parliamentary Group report on whistleblowing