Posted By John Murgatroyd
I really don't think so.
How was the employer supposed to know he was going to talk to the snooze papers ?
If you can't stand the heat, get outa the kitchen.
All too obviously the guy was in over his head, and by all accounts had plenty of trouble outside his paid employment.

Posted By Kelvin George
Hi Vincent

Again not wishing to upset - too much - people of a sensitive nature, but at the end of the day did he not break the law. Whether or not you agree with the specific laws of England makes no difference if you are aware of them in advance of contravening them.

I'm sorry for the man's family but if you decide to break the law then you must be prepared to face the punishment if you get caught doing it. Therefore in my opinion - as much as I hate saying this because I believe all people involved with Government and secret keeping as being somewhat suspect - his employer did not owe him any duty of care.
Does it not say in H&SAW etc Act 1974 section 7(b) about employees duty to their employer and I should imagine that in his case that not telling all he knows to a journalist would be well covered.

I as final comment, should we not be more concerned with the honest, commited working population who are abused and mistreated (pregnant women sacked just for being pregnant) by unscrupulous employers without wasting our time on dishonest and law breaking individuals. As H&S practitioners muddying the waters will only make your job - and hopefully mine in the future - harder.

Sorry if I have gone off on a tangent,

Cheers Kelvin

Posted By Stuart Nagle
Doctor Kelly was a highly respected scientist employed by the MoD. In this position he had a legal duty, as self declared by signing the Official Secrets Act (OSA), to maintain a certain decorum in what was said, and to whom it was said.

I undestand that Dr. Kelly broke the OSA by discussing issues covered by the OSA in the course of his work with a journalist. It would also appear, that in public (his second TV interview and only broadcast after the inquiry) his comments differed from those claimed to have been given to the journalist in private interviews!

Whilst I am very sorry that Dr. Kelly ended his life - and for his family, I do not believe that the circumstances leading to his actions, to break the OSA or sunsequently in taking his own life, are due to the actions or ommisions of his employer, but resulted from his own perceptions of the situation, and what he thought could or could not be gained or retrieved from the situation in which he found himself.

One could suppose, that if he had observed his undertaking of the declaration he made in signing the OSA, he may well be alive today....

In such matters, I think the term 'whistleblowing' can only apply if one has a whistle to blow... Dr Kelly could not have it both ways in what he stated, yes there are one the one hand and no there are not on the other.... someone of his standing and obvious intellect should I think have realised the situation - he was painting himself into a corner - and, as it appears, saw no other way out.... A sorry and very sad end of a well respected obviously very talented man.

Posted By Paul Allaway
I must say I agree with Kelvins final statement... Committed Health and Safety experts pondering over, and having such broad and ambiguous thoughts such as this will only lead to 'surfers' who happen to transit through this site leave thinking that WE are sadder than perhaps H&S officials are perceived to be..(not my thourghts!) We should concentrate on sorting H&S out... if we crack that ....then lets start looking at global peace!