APPG Report - Whistleblowing: Making whistleblowing work for society

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Whistleblowing was launched in July 2018 with the aim to put whistleblowing at the top of the agenda. Whistleblowers remain the vital element of a transparent society without whose voice many more unethical activities and crimes would remain unknown, with far reaching impacts on our society and communities. Whistleblowers can help us develop policy that protects all of our citizens and they should be treasured. Unfortunately, these individuals are vulnerable to retaliation from both colleagues and employers. Whilst there are laws in place to protect them, the overwhelming evidence is that they have failed to address the principal issues. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 has demonstrated fundamental inadequacies to the practical application of the legislation by failing to include a statutory responsibility to address the whistleblowing concerns or employers who retaliate.

The APPG on Whistleblowing was set up with the objective to provide much stronger and more comprehensive protection for whistleblowers. Our promise is to work to identify where the law fails to protect whistleblowers and, work with industry experts, whistleblowers, regulators and businesses, to recommend positive, effective and practical proposals for change. We are not only aiming to change the current legislation but also the culture and perception of whistleblowers through the work of this APPG.

This report helpfully examines how whistleblowers fare at Employment Tribunals. In 1998, with the implementation of the Public Interest Disclosure Act through the Employment Rights Act, Employment Tribunals became the de facto bearers of justice for whistleblowers. Today, we question whether that is indeed the most appropriate institutional arrangement to, on the one hand redress and deter reprisals against whistleblowers, and on the other hand address the wrongdoing that whistleblowers raise concerns about.

Read the All-Party Parliamentary Group report: “Making whistleblowing work for society”