Former UK privacy chief preparing legal action against woman who reported him, minister says

Britain’s former Information Commissioner, who recently resigned over what he described as “inappropriate humor,” is preparing to file legal papers against a female employee who raised concerns about him, a parliamentary committee was told Wednesday morning.

Liz Kendall, the secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, said she was “absolutely appalled” at the findings of “sexual harassment and bullying” made by an independent investigation at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The nature of the complaints against John Edwards have not previously been publicly reported.

She told the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee: “I’m also going to be launching an independent review of the culture, accountability and governance of the ICO, because I take very seriously what’s happened there and I will do everything I can to try and put this right,” adding “the women who’ve spoken up have been incredibly brave.”

Edwards, who oversaw Britain’s data protection and privacy regulations, announced his formal resignation in June after voluntarily stepping back from his duties in February amid a workplace investigation into what was then unspecified conduct.

Writing on LinkedIn at the time, Edwards said that while he has not agreed with how the investigation into him has been conducted, he has come to accept that his position “has become untenable.”

“From the time the investigation was launched, I have accepted that there have been occasions where I exercised poor judgment and made attempts at humor that were inappropriate and caused offense,” he wrote.

“It is for this reason that I have decided that it is appropriate that I resign from my position.”

Speaking to parliament on Wednesday, Kendall said the government was set to launch the recruitment process for Edwards’ successor next week alongside “the appointment of a new board of non-executive directors, the majority of whom will be women.”

Kendall also told the committee it had come to her attention “that the former Information Commissioner is preparing to serve legal papers on one of the women at the ICO who raised concern about his behavior earlier this year.

“I don’t know who this woman is, but by reporting her concerns, she supported the independent investigation that upheld multiple allegations made against him. I have reached out as best I can and said they need to know that they will always be listened to without being put at personal risk. Quite frankly, I’m appalled by that behavior.”

John Edwards, the government and the ICO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.