Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Three martyrs, injured in Israeli drone strike on phone charging station west of Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Four martyrs, dozens of injured as IOF open fire on civilians near GHF facility west of Rafah, southern Gaza.
Lebanese Army: This may push Army to freeze cooperation with committee regarding investigating facilities.
Lebanese Army: Enemy's continued violations of agreement and its refusal to respond with implementation committee weakens committee, Army's role.
Lebanese Army: A number of patrols also headed to locations under threat to investigate them, despite enemy's refusal of proposal.
Lebanese Army: As soon as enemy announced its threats, Army began coordination with ceasefire committee to stop attack.
Lebanese Army: Aggressions took place on eve of holidays, in clear atttempt by enemy to disrupt recovery of our nation and positive atmosphere.
Lebanese Army: Occupation's violations have turned into a daily aggression against Lebanese sovereignty, as it flouts ceasefire mechanism and efforts by implementation committee.
Lebanese Army: [Israeli] enemy has recently escalated its aggressions on Lebanon, targeting civilians, residential buildings, and facilities in different areas.
Berri: It is our fate every Eid al-Adha to offer sacrifices in defense of Lebanon and its sovereignty, and the aggression will not prevent us from celebrating our holidays

Sacked UK Foreign Office whistleblower furious over hearing secrecy

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 22 Apr 2023 14:58
3 Min Read

The UK government insists on keeping the full hearing private and away from public eyes.

  • x
  • UK military personnel are seen onboard an A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan August 28, 2021. (Reuters)
    UK military personnel seen onboard an A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan, August 28, 2021 (Reuters)

Josie Stewart, the senior official who was fired from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) for being the whistleblower that outlined the UK's failure in handling Afghanistan's withdrawal, appealed her dismissal decision, but the government insists on the privacy of the trial.

In May 2022, Stewart gave the BBC an anonymous interview where she revealed "systemic failures of leadership, planning, and preparation." This resulted in her dismissal.

According to The Guardian, Stewart decided to consider "her treatment to employment tribunal to test legal protections for whistleblowers amid concerns there is insufficient protection for civil servants who disclose sensitive information in the public interest."

Stewart also expressed her frustration regarding the UK government's attempt to "ensure" the legal proceedings remain private citing national security grounds under rule 94 of the employment tribunal rules.

While Stewart's hearing is set for September 2023, the senior official and her designated lawyers attended a preliminary hearing before Judge Andrew Glennie. 

The preliminary hearing, which was held in private, was meant to make a decision on whether the complete hearing would be held publicly or in private.

Significantly, The Guardian revealed that its reporter was banned from entry to the preliminary hearing. This information was later corroborated by Stewart herself who said, "A Guardian reporter whom I met at reception … who had turned up to cover the hearing, was turned away.”

Related News

Pakistan army reports fatal clash near Afghan border

Moscow Security Forum 2025 counters claims of Russia isolation: Shoigu

The senior official updated her supporters via the CrowdJustice website, saying the proceedings were partly "infuriating" given that she could not disclose any information, even regarding the preliminary hearing. 

Steward also said, "What I can say is that we will receive the judge’s decision and reasons on 18 May," adding that today was "intense, emotional, infuriating and motivating. And that my legal team are truly incredible: it was a privilege to witness them at work.”

Stewart outlines 'systemic failures' of Afghan withdrawal

The interview the senior official conducted for BBC, on condition of anonymity, detailed how "the manner of our withdrawal from Afghanistan was a disaster and a betrayal of our allies that will damage the UK's interests for years to come."

"Most damning for the Foreign Office is the total absence of a plan for evacuating Afghans who supported the UK mission, without being directly employed by the UK government, despite knowing 18 months before the collapse of Afghanistan that an evacuation might be necessary," she said.

The Foreign Office "provided answers that were intentionally evasive and often deliberately misleading" in response to inquiries from the Committee, which began work on the report in September. Instead, two whistleblowers spoke before the committee.

The report added that "those who lead the Foreign Office should be ashamed that civil servants of great integrity felt compelled to risk their careers to bring the situation to light."

The study emphasized the government's absence of a chain of command and "untraceable and unaccountable political interventions."

Read more: UK Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab resigns

  • Afghanistan
  • FCDO
  • Josie Stewart
  • UK
  • UK in Afghanistan

Most Read

Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam meets with US envoy Morgan Ortagus in Beirut on April 5, 2025 (Dalati Nohra via AP)AP)

Morgan Ortagus to exit US role in Lebanon amid policy shift

  • Politics
  • 1 Jun 2025
A Palestinian woman mourns as she embraces the body of her daughter Mayar Abu Odeh, 8, who was killed in an Israeli army strike on Gaza. at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP)

French port workers block arms shipment to 'Israel' amid Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 4 Jun 2025
It may well be due to the longstanding relationship between MI6 and HTS, via Inter Mediate, that Britain was the first Western country to recognise their assumption of government in Syria. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

How MI6 helped HTS seize Syria

  • Opinion
  • 31 May 2025
Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP)

Boston Consulting Group withdraws from GHF

  • Palestine
  • 3 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Poll
Palestine

Sharp decline in international perception of 'Israel', Netanyahu: Poll

Ukrainian soldiers with the anti-drone KVS G-6, manufactured by Kvertus Technology.Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Facebook
US & Canada

Shift in US priorities: Drone fuzes reallocated from Kiev to CENTCOM

US Jews accuse Trump of antisemitism despite his pro-'Israel' stance
US & Canada

US Jews accuse Trump of antisemitism despite his pro-'Israel' stance

Former US President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Sept. 30, 2024 (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
US & Canada

Trump orders investigation into Biden’s autopen use, cognitive fitness

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS