When Labour first came into power in 2013, it introduced a Whistle-blower Act to protect people who speak up and reveal corruption. It looked good at the time and as callous politicians never mind doing, they had no qualms about writing into law what they intended to ignore.
When they seek to silence Jonathan Ferris with a court gagging order, with threats of prison sentences and with attempts to suppress even his sworn statements, the government shows just how little it respects whistle-blowers.
When they call for the international arrest of Maria Efimova, to drag her across borders in chains to answer for a claim of less than 2,000 euro filed by a bank that the European Parliament resolved should be investigated even for existing, the government shows just how contemptuous they are of whistle-blowers.
Sometimes you come across people who do not understand why whistle-blowing is important and why it’s protected in a normal democracy.
Take your lesson from no one less than Chris Cardona who, reading from a script, explained in Parliament in July 2013 why whistle-blowers are important and why, even when they have themselves done wrong-doing, they are worthy of protection. Below are three extracts from that speech.
Listen to him explain that whistle-blowers are needed to prevent politicians like him from abusing their power. How whistle-blowers keep politicians in check and restrain the cancer of corruption.
Oh the irony.