The Sue Gray Report: A call to action

In May, the Cabinet Office released the full Sue Gray Report, shortly after the Metropolitan Police had concluded their investigations and issued a total of 126 fixed-penalty notices. While the focus of the report was on establishing the facts of the events, WhistleblowersUK are pleased to see the recommendations that have been made and details of update progress already being made within Number 10.

In January Sue Gray reported, “Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so.” 

In our previous statement we agreed with the report that this is unacceptable, and that things at No10 must change immediately including the culture and attitudes toward whistleblowers. It is simply unacceptable in any organisation for those attempting to call out wrongdoing to be undermined or intimidated.

The latest report lays bare the culture at the heart of the issue. That, “staff had witnessed or been subjected to behaviours at work which they had felt concerned about but at times felt unable to raise properly and that since the interim report, “...steps have since been taken to introduce more easily accessible means by which to raise concerns electronically, in person or online.”

If implemented correctly, this is a positive first step toward creating a culture within Number 10 which is no longer hostile to those speaking up and must be seen to be led by those at the very top. It is critical for any organisation looking to improve speaking up to ensure its leadership is actively and genuinely engaged with its culture. The same could be said for a country.  

The tone from the top sets the tone for the rest of the UK. We expect the Government, as a major international voice, to set and observe the very standards that it expects of others.

The findings of this report provide an opportunity for the Prime Minister to demonstrate his commitment to improving standards by adopting the Whistleblowing Bill led by Mary Robinson MP, the chair of the APPG for whistleblowing, and developed by WhistleblowersUK. 

We will continue to monitor the impact of the latest reforms and engage with No10 to persuade them to enact a whistleblowing bill to establish an office of the whistleblower to provide protection to every citizen against retaliation. A central place where whistleblowers can seek advice and share information that assists in the interception of crimes and ethical misconduct. reinforcing our reputation as a safe and ethical place to do business. 

You can read the full Sue Gray report here

June 2022

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