Whistleblower: I had a duty to reveal high-risk airport threat

THE ex-borders watchdog has insisted he had a ‘duty’ to expose a national security threat that led to his sacking.

David Neal revealed in the Daily Mail last week how Border Force had failed to inspect hundreds of private jets that landed at London City airport last year despite being assessed as ‘high-risk’.

He was dismissed as independent chief inspector of borders and immigration – on the orders of Home Secretary James Cleverly.

But Mr Neal yesterday told MPs: ‘I’ve been sacked for doing my job.’

He claimed he had been forced to expose the security fears because the Home Office was failing to publish his reports and immigration minister Tom Pursglove cancelled an urgent meeting to discuss the findings at City airport.

Speaking to the Commons home affairs select committee, Mr Neal, right, said: ‘I encountered events that I thought was a risk to the country.

‘I’ve done what I needed to do in terms of how the legislation expects the independent chief inspector to behave, which is to monitor and report on effectiveness and efficiency.

‘I think there is a higher calling here, that requires us to expose what’s going on. If there

Exclusive: Mail last week is something that I think is a risk to the country, I think there is a duty to expose it.’

Mr Neal blasted the ‘shocking leadership’ at the Home Office and revealed he was warned by the Cabinet Office not to discuss details of his report into border controls.

But he added that he stood by details he revealed, adding: ‘The report will be published and I hope it will become clear.’

Asked why Mr Pursglove told the Commons last Wednesday that the chief inspector’s concerns about high-risk flights had ‘no basis in fact’, Mr Neal said: ‘I wouldn’t have put my reputation on the line if I thought I was putting out information that wasn’t based on fact.’

He had revealed only 21 per cent of 687 high-risk flights into City airport last year were dealt with face to face whereas rules say 100 per cent should be inspected in person by guards.

‘HUNDREDS OF HIGH-RISK FLIGHT’ LAND IN UK UNCHECKED