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Time of India
04-07-2025
- Time of India
UK Navy's dubious first in 500 years, Admiral Ben Key sacked for sex with subordinate
Admiral Sir Ben Key , the former First Sea Lord and head of the Royal Navy , has been dismissed from service following a misconduct inquiry into an extramarital affair with a subordinate officer. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that he has lost his rank but will retain his pension. The sacking marks the first time in 500 years that a First Sea Lord has faced dismissal due to misconduct. Sir Ben, 59, was suspended in May 2025 after allegations emerged of a relationship with a female subordinate. The complaint reportedly came from the officer's husband and invited a formal investigation. In a statement, the MoD said, 'Following a full investigation, Admiral Sir Ben Key's behaviour has been found to have fallen far short of the values and standards expected of service personnel. This has resulted in the termination of service and his commission.' A distinguished naval career ends in disgrace Sir Ben joined the Royal Navy in 1984 as a university cadet. Over the years, he qualified as a helicopter aircrew and a Principal Warfare Officer. Live Events He commanded several vessels, including HMS Sandown, HMS Iron Duke, HMS Lancaster, and the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. He rose to First Sea Lord in 2021. He led major operations including 'Operation Pitting', the UK's evacuation from Afghanistan, and 'Operation Prosperity Guardian' to protect maritime routes in the Red Sea. In 2016, he was knighted and awarded the KCB (Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath). Sir Ben was scheduled to retire this summer before the inquiry disrupted his plans. He has been the head of the Royal Navy since 2021. In recorded history, a similar incident was in December 1917 when Admiral of the Fleet John Jellicoe was dismissed (asked to resign) from his position, though that was as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet, not First Sea Lord. Personal statement and apology In a statement after his dismissal, Sir Ben said: 'Serving as First Sea Lord has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I pay tribute to the dedicated and professional officers, sailors, Royal Marines and civil servants who make up the Royal Navy.' He sincerely regretted his actions from the previous spring, stating that they did not meet the standards he held for himself or for the Royal Navy. Consequently, he fully accepted the decision of the Defence Council. Apologizing to his close ones, he said, 'I am very sorry to those I have hurt personally, and I apologise to everyone who serves with the Royal Navy. I am very grateful for the support of my wife, family, and friends during a very difficult time.'
The Independent
19-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Whistleblower who exposed chaos of Afghanistan evacuation wins unfair dismissal case against government
A civil servant who lost her job after blowing the whistle about the UK's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has won her case for unfair dismissal against the government. Josie Stewart, a former senior official who had worked at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for seven years, lost her job after giving an anonymous interview to BBC Newsnight which saw her speak about her 'traumatic experiences' working in the Afghanistan Crisis Centre in summer 2021. Following the Taliban gaining control of Afghanistan, the British government evacuated 15,000 people from Kabul in what was known as Operation Pitting. Ms Stewart's security clearance was revoked and she subsequently lost her job after it emerged she revealed failings in the withdrawal from Kabul, as well as leaking emails suggesting that former prime minister Boris Johnson had prioritised staff from the animal charity Nowzad for evacuation over more deserving cases. An employment panel of three judges found the FCDO unfairly dismissed Ms Stewart after she leaked information in the public interest. In a legal first, the tribunal ruled that under whistleblower protection legislation it can be lawful for a civil servant to share unauthorised information directly with the media. At a hearing which took place last May, counsel for the FCDO Ben Collins KC argued that the right to blow the whistle did not extend to giving security clearance to those with a record of leaking. But Gavin Millar KC, the barrister acting for Ms Stewart, said such an argument would 'drive a coach and horses through' the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, aimed at protecting whistleblowers, if it succeeded. In submissions to the panel, Mr Millar said that Ms Stewart's whistleblowing related to 'the endangerment of the safety and lives of extremely vulnerable people in danger of retribution from the Taliban at any moment, and a government communications strategy which concealed how badly the UK government let those people down'. A landmark judgment issued on Tuesday said: 'The tribunal considered that it was reasonable for the claimant to go to the UK's public service broadcaster when relevant information and/or allegations had already been put into the public domain … and government ministers were publicly disputing them.' The judgement continued: 'Was the claimant's belief that she made the disclosure in the public interest a reasonable belief? The tribunal found that it was. The prime minister and foreign secretary were denying things that the claimant believed to be true, based on what she had observed in the course of her work.' However, the panel accepted that it was unavoidable that Ms Stewart was suspended from work 'while her security clearance was reviewed, as she was required to have such clearance'. The judgement was dubbed 'groundbreaking' by Ms Stewart's solicitors, James and West, saying it was 'without precedent and raised numerous important issues about civil servants' rights to whistleblower protection under existing law'. Ms Stewart said: 'My experience of the FCDO crisis centre in August 2021 reflected the worst of our political system. By calling this out, I lost my career. The outcome of this case doesn't change any of this, but it has achieved what I set out to achieve: it has established that civil servants have the right not to stay silent when systemic failures put lives at risk, as happened during the Afghan evacuation. 'We can't have a system that stays stay silent no matter what you see, and forces dedicated public servants to choose between their conscience and their career.' Cathy James, Ms Stewart's solicitor, added: 'Today, the employment tribunal has vindicated my client's actions and upheld her rights. This is an important win not just for Ms Stewart but for civil servants, the public interest, and democracy.' An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We will review the findings of the tribunal and consider next steps.'
