We can no longer shoot the messenger – whistleblowers need protection

We, as the undersigned, support the whistleblowing charity Protect in its call for the government to amend the Employment Rights Bill so that employers are required to investigate whistleblowing concerns.

Having all experienced whistleblowing first hand (“Yorkshire cricket racism whistleblower Azeem Rafiq leads calls to force firms to investigate concerns”, Monday 4 November 2024), identifying problems and putting a stop to wrongdoing on the frontline should be every organisation’s priority. From addressing patient safety to stamping out sexual harassment, everyone in the workplace should feel confident that when they speak up, action will follow. However, far too often, the only reaction is to shoot the messenger.

Our current law places no legal obligation on employers to investigate whistleblowing concerns. According to the UK’s leading whistleblowing charity, Protect, 40 per cent of the callers to their whistleblowing advice line say that when they speak up, they are ignored; their concerns disappear into a black hole.

Every government wants to focus on improving the future, rather than addressing the mistakes of the past. Whistleblowing has been the common thread linking the recent public inquiries into the infected blood scandal, the Grenfell Tower fire and the Post Office scandal. But whistleblowing concerns fell on deaf ears in each of these cases.

Putting a stop to wrongdoing at the earliest opportunity can only be a positive move for employers, those working in organisations and the wider public. This government is pledging to make a historic impact on employment rights– the opportunity to make a step change in how whistleblowing is addressed in the UK is now.

Azeem Rafiq – Racism in cricket whistleblower, Michael Woodford – Olympus whistleblower, Josie Stewart – FCDO whistleblower, Professor Nigel MacLennan - British Psychological Society whistleblower, Stephen Murdoch – Cornwall Air Ambulance whistleblower, Ian Foxley – GPT Special Project Management whistleblower, Linda Fairhall – NHS whistleblower and Maggie Oliver – Greater Manchester Police whistleblower

When I was a child, some 60 years ago, there was a plethora of corner shops. Yet now, greengrocers, newsagents, tobacconists and more have been swept away through a combination of crushing competition and societal or political indifference.

Department stores and the high street appear to be going the same way. Yet there is no shortage of places to shop and the paradigm of healthy consumerism is secure.

So if the outdated corner shop is defunct in favour of hyper-markets, why are we featherbedding “family” farms with favourable taxation? (“Backlash as NFU chief says Rachel Reeves’ ‘tractor tax’ will hit seven in 10 farms”, Sunday 3 November 2024).

Small farms require an unhealthy amount of work and attention. It is no wonder it takes such a high toll on physical and mental health to run them.

I imagine it is also why many small farms have been bought out by large agricultural conglomerates, who employ former owners on more sensible terms and conditions, with a greater deal of support.

Like the corner shops of my youth, it is important to realise when something is outdated and embrace a new, modern way of working. Frankly, why should those who own land enjoy an immense tax advantage denied to everyone else?

David Smith

Taunton

A leopard never changes its spots. And frankly, neither do politicians. It looks like business as usual under the new Tory party leader.

If Kemi Badenoch thinks that denying or watering down mistakes (and outright lies) made by the previous Tory government over the past 14 years (“Kemi Badenoch faces backlash after claiming Covid Partygate row was ‘overblown’”, Sunday 3 November 2024) is going to lead to a resurgence of popularity with the electorate, I think she is delusional.

David Felton

Crewe

Like many, I learnt and was amazed by the Channel 4 Dispatches exposure of the undisclosed incomes of the royal family (“King Charles and William’s royal estates ‘earn millions from NHS, armed forces and state school rents’”, Monday 4 November 2024). However, one also got the impression that the report may not have even begun to touch all the financial issues associated with the two duchies, Cornwall and Lancaster.

Of course, I do not advocate any overthrow of the monarchy, but our parliament must now bring about a complete change to the management of royal finances.

In the long term, this would bring about the transparency and openness they claim to want – and may be the secret to letting them last a bit longer as an institution.

Peter Smith-Cullen

Norfolk

The next time a personal, principal or politician tries to claim Labour’s application of VAT on private school fees is an “attack on aspiration” (“The Budget raid on private schools like mine puts their very existence under threat”, Wednesday 30 October 2024) they ought to be reminded that it was the privately educated George Osbourne and Nick Clegg who punished ambitious young people when they made British University tuition fees the highest in the world.

They saddled an entire generation with almost unrepayable debt.

It should also be remembered that it was the party most closely associated with private education – the Tory party – which created VAT in the first place, to shift the tax burden to the less well-off and then increased it three times!

Philip Duval

Manchester