B. Public interest—the 2013 reforms

The origin of whistleblowing law obviously lay in the need for protection for those acting in the public good, though at some risk to themselves. However, shortly after its inception it took a turning that some felt was a step too far away from that provenance, and that was later blamed politically for the large increases in whistleblowing allegations before tribunals. It will be seen immediately below that one of the categories of enumerated reasons to blow the whistle is where the allegation is that a person (usually the employer) has failed 'to comply with any legal obligation to which he is subject'. In Parkins v Sodexho Ltd [2002] IRLR 109 the EAT held that this could cover a case of breach of a legal obligation owed by the worker under his or her own contract of employment. It could be argued that this decision