Few would dispute that a whistleblower who raises a concern in good faith about a matter of public interest should be protected from dismissal or other retaliatory action. That was the intention back in 1998 when statutory whistleblowing protection was introduced for the first time in the UK. But over the last 20 years the credibility of the law has been undermined by protection being afforded to individuals in circumstances that parliament can never have intended.

Whistleblowing protection applies from day one of employment. Any employee or worker is protected if‎ they disclose information showing that one of a prescribed list of matters is taking place (eg criminal offence, miscarriage of justice, danger to health and safety etc) - a so-called protected disclosure. But until recently an employee was protected by it even where there was no public interest in what the employee was disclosing.