10 Informed Spotlight War, Journalism and


Whistleblowers Fiſteen years on, former NUJ leader Jeremy Dear recalls the union backing GCHQ whistleblower Katherine Gun


By any criteria the decision was remarkable. Katherine Gun, a self- confessed whistleblower who had deliberately breached the Official Secrets Act, had been acquited. Te prosecution would not have been hard. As Martin Bright, the then Observer journalist and NUJ activist, said: “We are told the case was dropped because there was insufficient evidence to proceed – absurd considering Katherine Gun had admited to the leak.” Te case against Katherine was


dropped despite her leaking an email from the National Security Agency in the US asking the UK government’s communications centre, GCHQ, to bug the UN delegations of other countries – a move designed to put political pressure on them in the run up to a crucial vote on the Iraq war. In March 2003, she passed the email


to a friend who gave it to Te Observer. Katherine was sacked and charged under the Official Secrets Act. In the weeks and months following her arrest the NUJ, civil rights and press freedom campaigners, celebrities, and others rallied to her defence. Demands increased for the


government to publish the advice it had received on the legality of the war. It was clear the case was dropped to stop the government facing huge political embarrassment at such a sensitive and politically difficult time. Te NUJ played its part in creating a public atmosphere in which such questions were being asked. Te union also used the case to make it clear that there must be a strong


public interest defence to protect whistleblowers who give stories to the media to expose official lies, dirty tricks or corruption.


Te union’s championing of whistleblowers such as Katherine Gun is part of a proud history the NUJ has in fighting uncompromisingly for the protection of sources. Te union had come to the aid of


Martin Bright when he revealed details of allegations by an MI5 whistleblower of a plot to assassinate then Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi. Martin refused to hand over material, the NUJ named those agents alleged to be involved in the plot and, again, a principled journalist backed by the union scored a victory.


Mat Keynon


Te case was thrown out and the judge issued a strong declaration on the freedom of the press in English law. But following the atacks on New York’s twin towers and the declaration of a “war on terrorism” political, and public, support began to ebb away and new challenges to the rights of journalists emerged. In the UK, and across the world, laws designed to combat terrorism have increasingly been used to clamp down on civil rights and threaten journalism, giving governments sweeping powers to spy on journalists and their sources. Te Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is a classic example. Atempts to rewrite the Official Secrets Act were condemned by Katherine Gun just last year. “If the proposals... extend the overall dragnet nature of the act, increase the penalty limit and disregard a public interest defence it will exacerbate power in the hands of the government and deter or even prevent whistleblowers from revealing government lies and abuse of power.”


Whistleblowers play an essential role in detecting fraud, mismanagement and corruption - helping to save lives, protect human rights and safeguard the rule of law. Journalists understand how important protection for whistleblowers is to enable them to continue to do so. Journalists unions were instrumental in the lobby to secure a vote in the European Parliament demanding EU-wide legislation protecting whistleblowers. Campaigns are not just about legal rights but also building workplace and community support for those who act in the public interest. As it has done throughout its history, the NUJ and its sister unions in the International Federation of Journalists will be at the forefront of this struggle.


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