Stewart v Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office [2023]

Background:

The claimant was employed by the respondent and she revealed to a journalist some information concerning the evacuation of personnel from Afghanistan. As a result, the claimant’s security clearance was withdrawn and she was subsequently dismissed. The claimant argued that the passing of information amounted to a protected disclosure within the remit of the Employment Rights Act 1996. There were issues in relation to the method by which the hearing should be run based upon national security issues.

The respondent sought that the hearing be before a national security employment judge, in private and in a secure hearing room. Additionally, they sought to redact certain documents