the whistleblowers fate

Recent accusations about Gordon Brown and an episode of 'The Good Wife' that was shown last night has made me consider the Whistleblowers fate.

The Whistle blowers Press Agency (yes, really) carries the byline 'Sustaining the Truth, Championing the Individual'. This agency pays people to blow the whistle. Surely this goes against the essence of whistleblowing? In my romantic little world a person whistleblows because something wrong is happening within an organisation and is being covered up. They blow the whistle because it is in the public's best interests. Because life's are being put at risk or because an injustice is being done or maybe just because people are acting immorally, for instance the MPs milking expenses.

I am going to resist making a joke at the expense of her name but Ms Pratt's whistleblowing has backfired and she has had her fingers burnt. Ms Pratt, chief executive of the The National Bullying Helpline revealed to the BBC that her organisation had been contacted by members of Gordon Browns staff. Ms Pratt gave her reason for whistleblowing as 'being angered by government denials'. Anger is not the best motive for whistleblowing. Anger clouds judgement and had she not been angered she may have considered the small matter of client confidentiality which is vital to an organisation like TNBH.

John Wicks, the former SAS officer who was the whistle blower in the MP expenses debacle says his motive was to expose a system 'rotten to its core'. Mr Wick says he was aware of the risk he was taking but felt the public deserved to know about the abuses being taken with taxpayers money. He said he had no regrets and hoped that it would make 'Parliament a better place and society a better place.' The abuse of the system made him angry but his action wasn't driven by anger. Indignation maybe. Disgust probably. But his whistle blowing was a considered response.

'The Good Wife' is the latest American legal drama and tells the story of Alicia Florrick whose husband, a State Attorney, has been jailed as a result of a very public sex and corruption scandal (but strangely a character who exudes warmth, decency and intelligence!). Alicia has to return to work as a lawyer in order to take care of her family after being a stay at home 'mom' for many years. In last nights episode Alicia takes on the case of three widows who are suing their dead husbands former employer, a train company, after their husbands are killed in a train crash. Of course it looks as if the widows stand a snowflakes chance in hell of a successful prosecution against this all powerful company. As Alicia investigates further it becomes clear the company covered up a serious fault with a mechanical part, bad working practices and a total disregard for the employees further down the food chain. Several (management level) employees were aware of the problems and conspired to falsify documents. One employee wanted to help Alicia discover the truth and, although unable to blow the whistle, she tried to help behind the scenes. The finale presented Alicia with a moral dilemma which forced her to consider her own experience of losing the way of life she had enjoyed and cherished with her much loved husband and the oath she had taken as a lawyer which was enshrined in the pursuit of justice. The impact on the would be whistleblower was devastating but the viewer was meant to feel justice had been done.

Haringey are being sued by a Social Worker who claims she was hounded out of her job for writing a letter to the then Secretary of State, Patricia Hewitt. Local authorities have Whistleblowing Policies that are meant to protect the employee and the employer. In Haringeys case it appears to have protected no one. Least of all Baby Peter.

Courage. That's what it takes to be a Whistleblower. Because telling the truth is sometimes a difficult thing to do. The truth teller may lose their job, their reputation, their credibility. It may be difficult for them to find another job. They risk losing friends. Of not being trustworthy. They take the risk of being a either a hero or a villain. But ultimately the truth will set them free.

Blow a whistle, make a noise

Make them listen, shout out the truth

Prepare for criticism, prepare for hurt

Reveal the facts, show the proof

Write a letter, make the call

Gather the evidence, show your strength

Take a breath, take the fall

True friends stay, the rest run away

Some will cheer, some will criticise

Speak the truth and you may pay

But the truth will set you free.