John Edwards has resigned as UK information commissioner after an independent investigation into allegations about his conduct.
Edwards said in a statement Friday that he had “exercised poor judgement” on occasions and made attempts at humour that were inappropriate and caused offence. He said he had notified the government that he was resigning immediately as both commissioner and chair of the ICO.
The departure removes the head of one of the UK’s most consequential regulators at a time when the office is overseeing data protection, freedom of information law and the country’s fast-developing approach to artificial intelligence.
The government confirmed the resignation and said it followed an independent probe “regarding allegations made against him.” A spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the government expects “the highest standards of conduct from all senior leaders in public life” and that Edwards had acknowledged his conduct fell below those standards.
Existing legal arrangements mean deputy commissioners must take on the regulator’s responsibilities and ensure continuity of leadership, the department said.
Edwards had led the watchdog since January 2022. He had stepped back from the role in February when the investigation began. In a statement shared on LinkedIn, he said he disagreed with how the ICO’s investigation had been carried out but accepted that his position had become untenable and that he did not want to become a distraction from the office’s work.
The ICO said on June 10 that its investigation had been completed and found “there is a case to answer,” adding that Edwards would be temporarily unable to act in fulfilling his responsibilities for the remainder of the process.
The resignation comes as the ICO faces wider scrutiny over how it handles data protection complaints from the public. The Good Law Project and Open Rights Group recently launched action challenging the watchdog, accusing it of brushing aside thousands of public data complaints.
Open Rights Group executive director Jim Killock said Edwards’ departure was an opportunity for the government to appoint “a regulator with teeth” and reset the office’s approach to data protection enforcement.
The ICO is responsible for ensuring data and information rights are upheld in the UK. Its powers include investigating potential breaches and taking enforcement action against organisations that fail to comply with the law. In serious cases, it can fine companies up to £17.5 million or 4% of worldwide turnover in the previous financial year, whichever is higher.
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