MHK calls for action on "quite weak" whistleblowing policies

Former committee chair fears government could face another costly case if changes aren't made

An MHK says the current policies for whistleblowers in government are still "quite weak".

Onchan member Julie Edge chaired a committee looking into whistleblowing during the last administration.

It made a number of recommendations for improvement, resulting in a number of policies being introduced and updated over the last five years.

Despite this, she's told Manx Radio the same issues are still facing those making disclosures today.

It's something that's been echoed in a dossier compiled by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Tim Glover in 2023.

He spoke to a number of whistleblowers about their experiences, and found common themes such concerns over transparency, delays in the process and feeling ostracised when bringing a case forward.

Ms Edge says little has been done to tackle these issues since the findings were shared with politicians nearly two years ago.

She's recently met with the chief minister to highlight her concerns.

Manx Radio's Sian Cowper asked Ms Edge whether she's surprised whistleblowing hasn't been a higher priority during this administration:

In a statement, the Isle of Man Government says the whistleblowing policy was reviewed and updated in October 2022 and again earlier this year following legislative changes that took effect from 1 April 2025. 

"A key change was the introduction of the ‘public interest’ test for protected disclosures. Now, a protected disclosure must be a matter that is in the public interest.

"The Employment Act 2006 clearly defines what is a protected disclosure.

"Employers cannot decide that a protected disclosure is not whistleblowing as it is defined in law. 

"A whistleblower is legally protected if they suffer detriment or are dismissed, and ultimately it is for the Employment and Equality Tribunal to decide whether or not a disclosure meets the criteria. 

"Computer-based training on whistleblowing is mandatory for all employees, and in-person training for designated managers and reporting officers is delivered by OHR and the Attorney General’s Chambers.

"The whistleblowing policy and other related documents are easy to find on an internal website that was launched for government staff in August 2025. If staff have questions, they can quickly get answers using a chatbot on the site that is available 24 hours for seven days a week.

"The Public Service Integrity Line was launched in 2022 as part of a broader initiative to improve workplace culture and accountability. This is a free, confidential service that all staff can use to report serious concerns or wrongdoing."

Manx Radio has also invited Mr Glover to discuss his dossier on whistleblowing.

You can hear Ms Edge's interview in full on the latest episode of the Manx Newscast: