David Neal (British Army officer) explained

David Neal
Office:Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration
Term Start:22 March 2021
Term End:20 February 2024
Predecessor:David Bolt
Alma Mater:Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Bangor University, Cranfield University
Commands:1st Military Police Brigade
Primeminister:Boris Johnson

David Neal was the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and a retired Royal Military Police officer. He was appointed by the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, in succession to David Bolt who left the post in March 2021.[1]

Military career

David Neal graduated from Bangor University with a BA in English Literature in 1993. He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on Commissioning Course 933 and was commissioned into the Royal Military Police on 20 September 1994.

After service on exercise and operations across the world, on 22 July 2016, he was appointed by The Queen as the Provost Marshal (Army) and Commander of 1 Military Police Brigade in the rank of Brigadier.[2]

He accepted the Freedom of the City of Salisbury on behalf of the Royal Military Police on 14 June 2018.[3] This freedom was exercised by the Royal Military Police at Armed Forces Day on 29 June 2019.[4]

Blackstone Consultancy

After leaving the Army he was employed by London-based Blackstone Consultancy as Strategic Security Advisor.[5] He was a finalist in the UK Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) 2021, nominated as Outstanding Security Consultant.[6]

Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI)

David Neal is the third individual appointed to the post of Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. The ICIBI is an independent monitoring body that reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of the immigration, asylum, nationality and customs functions carried out by the Home Secretary, officials and others on her behalf.[7]

Neal gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee in June 2022, where it was revealed that he had not met Home Secretary Priti Patel since his appointment in March 2021.[8] In July 2022, the Home Office published a delayed report produced by Neal[9] into the English Channel irregular migrant small boats crossings which was highly critical of the Home Office's performance and response.[10] [11] [12]

On 24 October 2022, Neal again gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee which exposed serious overcrowding at Manston processing centre, conditions which Neal described as "wretched".[13] This evidence prompted an urgent question in the House of Commons from the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Dame Diana Johnson MP, on 26 October 2022.[14] A second urgent question on the same subject was tabled by Sir Roger Gale MP on 7 November 2022.[15]

On 12 September 2023 in an interview with the Times, Neal reported that Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick was refusing to meet him to be discuss Neal’s findings from a visit to the Bibby Stockholm barge. Neal described the removal in August of asylum seekers from the barge after the discovery of legionella bacteria as a "shambles".[16]

Later that month, it was reported on the Open Democracy website, that Neal’s appointment would not be extended after his 3 year contract ended in March 2024 and that he had been 'sacked' for being excessively critical of the Home Office in reports dated from February 2022. These reports were accessed by Open Democracy through Freedom of Information requests.[17]

On 19 September 2023, in the wake of the publishing of the Brook House Public Enquiry report, Neal wrote an op ed in the Guardian which was critical of the Home Office's approach which was similar to reports that had been produced by the ICIBI:

This led to an article in the Sunday Telegraph, that claimed that the Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, was refusing to meet Neal over an alleged antisemitic reference in a report containing an expert review commissioned on statelessness in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The article carried a strong rebuttal from Neal who stated that he had already agreed to remove the quotation and that...

In the December 2023 edition of Private Eye magazine, it was reported, under the headline 'Border Farce':

Neal was dismissed[18] from his position on 20 February 2024 after a dispute with the Home Office over the release of information relating to the alleged lack of security over flights landing at London City Airport.[19]

Neal's departure led to extensive media coverage including a leading article in the Times:[20]

"The Times view on David Neal’s sacking: Shooting the Messenger. The departing borders watchdog deserves praise, not punishment, for doing his job"

The New Statesman reported:[21]

"We are fortunate that people are willing to speak truth to power, even at a personal cost. That they sometimes lose their jobs in the process should worry us all, and shame those they are holding to account."

There was also an urgent question on 5 March 2024 from the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Dame Diana Johnson.[22]

Later work

It was reported on 24 April 24 by the Sun's Chief Political Correspondent, Jack Elsom, that Neal was appointed as an advisor to the Home Affairs Select Committee.[23]

Media

In addition to contributions in print, TV and Radio. Neal captained the Bangor University alumni team which reached the semi-finals of BBC University Challenge which aired on BBC 2 on 28 December 2023. The team were beaten by the eventual winners of the competition, Middlesex University.[24] Neal was also a judge for the 2023/2024 British Kebab Awards,[25] attending the awards ceremony at the Park Plaza Hotel on 27 February 2024.[26] He was the featured guest on the Today Show Podcast, which aired on BBC Radio 4 on 14 March 2024, where he was interviewed by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson about his experiences as the ICIBI.[27]

References

https://twitter.com/JackElsom/status/1783124971125907515

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 22 March 2021. New Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration appointed.
  2. Web site: 21 July 2016. Appointment of Provost Marshal (Army). .
  3. Web site: 14 June 2018. Salisbury Journal - Freedom of the City for Royal Military Police. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210527150311/https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/16290968.freedom-city-royal-military-police/ . 2021-05-27 .
  4. Web site: 1 July 2019. Salisbury Journal - More than 40k celebrate Armed Forces Day weekend. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210527150314/https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/17739810.photos-40k-celebrate-armed-forces-day-weekend/ . 2021-05-27 .
  5. Web site: Blackstone Consultancy. Blackstone Consultancy.
  6. Web site: Finalists for the 2021 UK OSPAs announced. 6 January 2021.
  7. Web site: 2007-10-30. UK Borders Act 2007. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20101224211032/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/30/crossheading/border-and-immigration-inspectorate . 2010-12-24 .
  8. Web site: Parliamentlive.tv . 2022-07-23 . parliamentlive.tv.
  9. Web site: Inspection Report Published: An inspection of the initial processing of migrants arriving via small boats at Tug Haven and Western Jet Foil December 2021 – January 2022 . 2022-07-23 . gov.uk . en.
  10. News: Matt . Dathan . National security threat as Channel migrants vanish . . en . 21 July 2022 . 23 July 2022 . 0140-0460.
  11. Web site: World at One . 21 July 2022 . BBC Sounds . 23 July 2022. www.bbc.co.uk . en-GB.
  12. Web site: Calais migrant crisis . 23 July 2022. BBC News . en-GB.
  13. Web site: Parliament TV .
  14. Web site: Parliament TV .
  15. Web site: Asylum Seekers Accommodation and Safeguarding. Hansard . 8 November 2022.
  16. News: Matt. Dathan . 4 October 2023. Home Office cuts number of migrants to be housed on Bibby Stockholm barge . . en . 4 October 2023. 0140-0460.
  17. Web site: Revealed: Home Office called watchdog 'excessively critical' . 4 October 2023 . openDemocracy . en.
  18. News: Syal . Rajeev . Home secretary sacks borders watchdog via Zoom after clash . 14 April 2024 . The Guardian.
  19. News: Chief immigration inspector David Neal sacked after airport security row with Home Office. ITV News. 20 February 2024. 20 February 2024.
  20. Web site: The Times . The Times view on David Neal's sacking: Shooting the Messenger. 23 February 2024. 20 March 2024.
  21. News: The New Statesman . Why the Home Office manipulated the news. 6 March 2024. 20 March 2024.
  22. Web site: Hansard . Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. 4 March 2024. 20 March 2024.
  23. Web site: Elsom . Jack . Twitter Post . Twitter.
  24. Web site: BBC University Challenge . www.bbc.co.uk . 3 May 2024.
  25. Web site: British Kebab Awards . Judges 2024 . www.britishkebabawards.co.uk . 3 May 2024.
  26. Web site: Politico London Playbook . Spotted.... . 3 May 2024.
  27. Web site: BBC Today Show Podcast . Why is the Home Office 'dysfunctional' - sacked immigration chief speaks out. . www.bbc.co.uk . 4 May 2024.