Josie Stewart is attending a hearing in central London for the Foreign Office whistleblower’s employment tribunal. The hearing will determine if Stewart’s witness evidence is covered by parliamentary privilege and thus not admissible. Picture date: Wednesday September 20, 2023. 73793960 (Press Association via AP Images)
A former worker at the Foreign Office Josie Stewart is contesting her dismissal from her position at the Foreign Office after a BBC Newsnight journalist posted screenshots of emails she leaked, accidentally exposing her identity.
Stewart admitted that she was “foolish and naive” for not removing her name from government emails shared with the journalist, but she believes she did not
make a wrong decision.
The screenshots showed sensitive emails criticizing the government’s handling of the 2021 Kabul evacuation in Afghanistan as Taliban fighters approached the city. Boris Johnson, who allegedly went against existing policies to aid the evacuation of animals and charity staff from Kabul-based animal charity Nowzad, pushing aside interpreters and other key personnel. Stewart had initially raised these concerns and shared emails anonymously with Newsnight.
Stewart now claims that she was unfairly fired under the Employment Rights Act 1996 in a case that has sparked discussions about the rights of government workers to make public interest disclosures.
The ongoing tribunal is expected to conclude on May 20.
