Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

UK Whistleblowing Reform Now: Support the Office of the Whistleblower Bill, Appoint a Cross-Government Champion, and Deliver Effective Protections Beyond the Duty of Candour

Published on: 03 April 2025

Published by a Law360 reporter

Legal News

Article summary

Arguably, the priority is to designate a whistleblowing champion for the whole of government, rather than limiting the role to regulators, enforcement bodies, or a lone department. The moment is right. A proposed Office of the Whistleblower Bill—intended to set up an independent office to protect whistleblowers—was most recently brought before Parliament in December 2024. Honed over more than five years, its evolution has been shaped not only by whistleblower experience, but also by leading legal specialists who practise in this area day in, day out. Consequently, it marks a significant leap beyond other legislation, because it tackles fundamental questions such as:

Who qualifies as a whistleblower?
How can information be reported securely?
What does protection from retaliation entail, and how can it be delivered promptly and effectively?
How do we remedy the inequality of arms between whistleblowers and large organisations?
How is information or evidence of wrongdoing passed to those who require it for investigation and follow-up?

The breadth of the Office of the Whistleblower Bill lifts reform of the treatment of whistleblowers out of the so‑called ‘too difficult’ box and offers practical, workable law...

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