Whistleblower sacked for speaking out on withdrawal from Afghanistan takes UK government to court

Whistleblower sacked for speaking out on withdrawal from Afghanistan takes UK government to court
An ex-official at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) who revealed Britain’s chaotic response to the fall of Kabul, said the civil service has become so dangerously politicized that officials who speak out risk being sidelined or sacked. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 04 February 2023

Whistleblower sacked for speaking out on withdrawal from Afghanistan takes UK government to court

Whistleblower sacked for speaking out on withdrawal from Afghanistan takes UK government to court
  • Josie Stewart, who gave an anonymous interview and leaked emails to the BBC about the withdrawal, said the civil service has become ‘dangerously politicized’
  • A former head of illicit finance at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, she is challenging her dismissal under the Public Interest Disclosure Act

DUBAI: A former senior official at Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is taking the UK government to court test the legal protections for whistleblowers, amid concerns they are not sufficient to protect civil servants.

Josie Stewart, who worked at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and was sacked after turning whistleblower to reveal details of the chaotic UK response to the fall of Kabul, said the British civil service has become so dangerously politicized that officials who dare to speak out risk being sidelined or losing their jobs.

She told The Guardian newspaper that former colleagues felt their role was to protect ministers, some of whom were only interested in “looking good,” rather than working in the public interest.

Stewart, who was head of the illicit finance team at the FCDO, was fired over an anonymous interview she gave to the BBC about the government’s handling of the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. She is challenging her dismissal, based on the provisions the Public Interest Disclosure Act.

In her first interview since her dismissal, she said the government’s strategy for the withdrawal of its forces had been shaped by political concerns at home. Ministers were more focused on media coverage and “the political fallout” than saving lives, she added.

Her legal action adds to the pressure on Dominic Raab, who was foreign secretary at the time and who is currently fighting for his political career following allegations of bullying, which he denies. Raab was heavily criticized for failing to return home early from holiday in August 2021 when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban.

Stewart, who worked for two years at the British embassy in Kabul during her seven years with the FCDO, volunteered to work in the Whitehall crisis center when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. One of her allegations was that ministers had not expected the British public to care about the evacuation of locals who had helped British troops amnd officials.

Her case, for which a final hearing is scheduled for September, could set a precedent for how the courts handle similar cases in future, including clarification of whether whistleblowers can avoid dismissal if they disclosed information in “exceptionally serious circumstances” and it should therefore be considered “reasonable” to have done so.

In her interview with The Guardian, 42-year-old Stewart said: “If the law is not tested and used then I don’t know how much it actually means, as potential whistleblowers don’t know which side of the line it is going to fall. Is what they’re going to do likely to be legally protected or not? If they don’t know, then I’m not sure how meaningful the fact the law exists is.”

Stewart, who now works for nonprofit organization Transparency International, alleged that the civil service has been dangerously politicized since the era of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and she accused the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, of failing to stand up for officials.

“I increasingly saw senior officials interpreting their role as doing what ministers say and providing protections to ministers,” she said. “It was almost as if their first loyalty (was) to their political leaders rather than to the public.

“Essentially people who said ‘yes’ and went along with it and bought into this shift in culture and approach were those whose careers went well. Those who resisted either found themselves buried somewhere or looking for jobs elsewhere.

“It threatens the impartiality of the civil service. The civil service is supposed to bring expertise in how to get things done. It risks that expertise being neutered by a slant towards focusing on things that look good rather than achieving impact.”

Stewart also suggested the politicization of the civil service had a dramatic effect on the government’s handling of the evacuation from Afghanistan. Moreover, she highlighted the government’s failure to draw up a plan to help Afghan nationals who had assisted the British, such as translators or contractors, but were not eligible for the existing Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy because they did not work directly for the UK, to leave the country.

“There was no policy because we didn’t intend to do it at all,” Stewart said. “The only reason it came into life during the crisis was because the government was surprised to learn that the British people did actually care and did feel that we owed something to those people.

“Then they thought: ‘Well, people do care and we had better do something about it.’ So it was a misjudgment, politically. Hence the chaos.”

The crisis center received thousands of emails from desperate Afghans asking for help, which remained unopened until pressure from MPs led Raab to promise in the House of Commons that they would all be read by a certain date.

In January 2022 Stewart gave her anonymous interview and leaked emails to the BBC’s Newsnight program that revealed a decision to allow the animal charity Nowzad’s Afghan staff to be evacuated had been taken as a result of instructions from Johnson himself that overruled officials, who had said the workers were not eligible and others were at higher risk. Johnson had denied being involved in the decision.

The unredacted emails were accidentally published on social media by the BBC, revealing Stewart’s identity. She was stripped of her FCDO security clearance and subsequently sacked because, without it, she was unable to do her job.

Stewart’s lawyers expect the government to argue that the protections under the Public Interest Disclosure Act do not apply in this case because she was not, ultimately, dismissed for the act of whistleblowing, and they plan to challenge this.

An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are rightly proud of our staff who worked tirelessly to evacuate more than 15,000 people from Afghanistan within a fortnight.”

A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “The cabinet secretary is proud to lead a civil service that works day in, day out to deliver the government’s priorities for the people of this country.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “We take our responsibilities as journalists very seriously and we deeply regret that the name of the email account was inadvertently revealed when the email was published on social media.”

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson declined to comment.


King Charles III addresses German parliament, meets Scholz

King Charles III addresses German parliament, meets Scholz
Updated 15 sec ago

King Charles III addresses German parliament, meets Scholz

King Charles III addresses German parliament, meets Scholz
BERLIN: King Charles III became the first monarch to address Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday as part of a high-profile visit aimed at bolstering ties between the two European powers.
Charles, 74, is on his inaugural foreign trip since becoming UK king. He and Camilla, the queen consort, arrived in Berlin on Wednesday. Crowds of well-wishers and Germany’s head of state, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, greeted the couple at the capital’s iconic Brandenburg Gate. They later attended a banquet in their honor at the presidential palace.
Pomp and royal glamor aside, the three-day visit has a decidedly political purpose. The UK government is trying to mend frayed ties with its continental partners following the painful Brexit process.
The fallout has been considerable: Britain’s departure from the European Union’s common market has resulted in trade barriers and labor shortages, and locked the country out of key European science programs. By devoting special attention to the EU’s two biggest powers — France and Germany — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hopes to normalize relations with the 27-nation bloc.
Charles originally planned to stop in France first, but anti-government protests there delayed that part of his trip. That put the focus on Germany, where the UK royal family and particularly the late Queen Elizabeth II have long enjoyed curiosity and admiration.
Not all were enamored by the visit, however. Jan Korte, a lawmaker with the opposition Left party, said it wasn’t in keeping with Germany’s democratic tradition to have Charles address the country’s highest political body, the Bundestag.
“A king isn’t elected,” Korte told public broadcaster ZDF. “He can obviously speak everywhere and is very welcome, including by me, but I think that particularly in the Bundestag, which is about representing the people, it’s not really appropriate to have a monarch speak.”
Charles has spoken to the Bundestag before, at a commemorative event held by the German War Graves Commission in 2020, though he was still the Prince of Wales at the time.
Before his speech Charles met briefly with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and visited a farmers market in Berlin.
After his speech, Charles and Camilla are scheduled to meet with refugees and British and German military personnel stationed near Berlin before visiting an organic farm. They plan to be in Hamburg on Friday.

UK Labour leader backs campaign to end ‘disgraceful’ deportation of ‘brave’ Afghan pilot

UK Labour leader backs campaign to end ‘disgraceful’ deportation of ‘brave’ Afghan pilot
Updated 40 min 2 sec ago

UK Labour leader backs campaign to end ‘disgraceful’ deportation of ‘brave’ Afghan pilot

UK Labour leader backs campaign to end ‘disgraceful’ deportation of ‘brave’ Afghan pilot
  • Veteran threatened with removal to Rwanda after making journey to Britain on small boat

LONDON: The potential deportation to Rwanda of a former Afghan pilot who once served alongside British troops is a “disgrace,” Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has said, The Independent reported.

The opposition leader is backing a campaign by the newspaper to prevent the deportation of the man, who arrived in Britain on a small boat after having exhausted all legal avenues for relocation.

An Afghan Air Force veteran, the man is being supported by senior military figures, politicians and diplomats after he was threatened with deportation to the African country in line with new UK government policy.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had pledged a Home Office review into the case.

Starmer accused the government of a “shameful level of incompetence” over the case, adding: “It’s a disgrace that this brave pilot who fought alongside British troops is facing deportation at the hands of the government’s unworkable gimmick.”

The veteran pilot took part in 30 combat missions against Taliban forces as part of the coalition’s war in Afghanistan.

He was described as a “patriot to his nation” by his commanding supervisor.

However, in his journey to Britain, the man traveled through Switzerland, Italy and France, with the Home Office warning him over “consequences” for “whether your claim is admitted.”

The government added in its communications with the veteran that he “may also be removable to Rwanda” and have his data shared with authorities in the African country.

Starmer told The Independent: “We are a proud nation which always resolutely stands in support of our armed forces and our allies.

“Personnel at home and abroad continue to work tirelessly to secure our safety as a nation. From conflicts in Afghanistan to Ukraine, we should be celebrating their contribution to our peace and national security.

“It’s damning of this government that a war veteran who fought alongside British troops now faces being forced out of Britain. We should be protecting those who fought alongside our soldiers, not deporting them.

“The government must commit to stopping this proposed deportation.”

Other politicians have also criticized the potential deportation, including Cabinet Minister Rory Stewart, who described it as “shameful.”

Sir Laurie Bristow, former ambassador to Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover, said that many British soldiers “owe their lives to Afghans who fought alongside them.”

Kevan Jones, a former defense minister, warned that the case is a “stain on Britain’s great reputation.”


Afghan seeking move to UK told to provide Taliban-stamped documents

Afghan seeking move to UK told to provide Taliban-stamped documents
Updated 30 March 2023

Afghan seeking move to UK told to provide Taliban-stamped documents

Afghan seeking move to UK told to provide Taliban-stamped documents
  • British government pledged to end practice earlier this month after wave of criticism
  • MP: ‘The Afghan resettlement schemes have been a complete and utter shambles’

LONDON: An Afghan seeking relocation to the UK has been requested to apply for documents from Taliban government ministries despite the British government promising to end the practice earlier this month, The Guardian reported on Thursday.

The applicant, who once worked with the British Council, which promotes cultural relations and education, is in the process of completing paperwork for the UK’s Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

As part of the process, applicants must provide passports, birth certificates and marriage certificates covering themselves and family members.

But in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, many of those seeking to relocate to Britain face significant danger in approaching government ministries for the requisite documents.

Earlier this month, the UK government pledged to change the requirements so that Afghans who formerly worked with British forces and government organizations would no longer require stamped documents in their applications.

But the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the recent applicant: “The marriage certificate should clearly (be) stamped by the local authorities.”

The FCDO told The Guardian that the message was an error that does not reflect its current policy. The applicant will be contacted to “clarify the process,” it added.

A spokesperson said: “This message does not reflect departmental policy. We do not expect Afghans eligible for resettlement under the ACRS to provide every document requested; we only ask they provide the documentation which they are able to.”

The Afghan’s case was publicized after they contacted a British MP. They had originally applied for relocation through the UK’s flagship relocation scheme, the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy, but were later told to apply through the ACRS, initially receiving approval.

But later in the process, the UK government informed the applicant that their marriage certificate must be stamped by local Taliban authorities.

The MP in contact with the applicant, Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse, said: “The Afghan resettlement schemes have been a complete and utter shambles. These are truly brave people who risked everything to help us. We are now abandoning them through departmental incompetence and political ignorance.”


Far-right lawmakers walk out of Zelensky speech to Austrian parliament

Far-right lawmakers walk out of Zelensky speech to Austrian parliament
Updated 30 March 2023

Far-right lawmakers walk out of Zelensky speech to Austrian parliament

Far-right lawmakers walk out of Zelensky speech to Austrian parliament
  • Ukrainian leader’s address at Austrian lower house of parliament violates country’s neutrality
  • Freedom Party had warned days before that it would hold some form of protest against Zelensky’s address

VIENNA: Lawmakers from the pro-Russia, far-right Freedom Party walked out of the lower house of Austria’s parliament on Thursday during a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, protesting that it violated Austria’s neutrality.
Zelensky addressed the chamber via video link, thanking Austria for its humanitarian aid and help with projects such as clearing land mines. Austria says its neutrality prevents it from military involvement in the conflict and while it supports Ukraine politically it cannot send the country weapons in its fight against the Russian invasion.
The Freedom Party (FPO), however, had warned days before that it would hold some form of protest against Zelensky’s address. Its lawmakers attended the start of the speech and then left.
“It is sad that the FPO is the only party in parliament that takes our ever-lasting neutrality seriously, thereby also standing up for peace,” FPO leader Herbert Kickl said in a statement on Tuesday.
Lawmakers who walked out of the chamber left small placards on their desks featuring the party logo and either “space for neutrality” or “space for peace.”
Of the five parties in parliament, the FPO has the third-biggest number of seats in the lower house. It currently has a slight lead in opinion polls over the opposition Social Democrats and Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s conservatives, who govern in coalition with the left-wing Greens.
The current parliament runs until autumn of next year.


Turkiye’s parliament to vote on Finland’s NATO bid

Turkiye’s parliament to vote on Finland’s NATO bid
Updated 30 March 2023

Turkiye’s parliament to vote on Finland’s NATO bid

Turkiye’s parliament to vote on Finland’s NATO bid
  • Ratification is all but certain after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended months of negotiations
  • Erdogan controls parliament through an alliance with a right-wing party

ANKARA: Turkiye was set Thursday to become the final NATO member to approve Finland’s membership in the US-led defense alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Turkiye’s parliament scheduled a vote on the Nordic country’s bid to become the 31st member of the Western defense alliance for 2:00 p.m. (1100 GMT).
Ratification is all but certain after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended months of negotiations and blessed Finland’s candidacy earlier this month.
Erdogan controls parliament through an alliance with a right-wing party. Most opposition lawmakers also support the bid.
Turkiye’s ratification will leave Finland — a country with a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia — with only a few technical steps before formally joining the bloc.
Finland and its neighbor Sweden ended decades of military non-alignment and decided to join the alliance last May.
Their applications were accepted at a June 2022 NATO summit but the bids still needed to be ratified by all alliance member parliaments — a process that stalled once it reached Turkiye and Hungary.
Erdogan put up stiff resistance to Sweden’s candidacy because of a series of long-standing disputes.
A spokesman for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday called on Sweden to “clear the air” and address “an ample amount of grievances” for parliament to ratify its bid.
Sweden still hopes to join the alliance in time for a July summit in Vilnius.
Most analysts believe that Turkiye will only vote on its candidacy after the country’s May general election.