The government’s top pick to be the new borders watchdog has said he would live in Finland and commute to the UK when necessary.
John Tuckett, who has spent the last six years working as the immigration services commissioner, revealed the bizarre plan while he was being questioned by MPs at the Home Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday.
Asked if he lived within commuting of the London office, he said: “No I don’t, I have a family home in Finland and I come across to this country whenever I need to.”
Asked how he would inspect the UK’s borders while living in another country, Tuckett said: “I work in [the] UK and I would be in the UK, I’m resident in Finland.”
He confirmed he has “always” paid for his own travel and accommodation and would be willing to work five days in the London office if required.
“I have done this kind of work before, and when I was asked this question at my interview, I said, I think that my judgement is you need time when you’re available for ministers, visits, all the things where you need to do face to face,” he said.
The Home Office announced he was the preferred candidate to be the next independent chief inspector of borders and immigration in January.
If confirmed, he will replace the interim inspector David Bolt, who has been in the role since June. The last borders watchdog David Neal was sacked in February over claims he broke the terms of his appointment.
Tuckett also told the Home Affairs Select Committee: “You need time where you can think, sit back, write, because you don’t write a report, you know, in 10 spare minutes in between two major appointments. So I think there’s a 60-40, split.”
But the irony that the potential borders watchdog would be crossing several countries just to work in the UK seemed lost on the building safety minister, as he stood by Tuckett.
Speaking to Times Radio this morning, Alex Norris said: “That individual has worked for the government, appointed by the previous government, has worked for the government for the last five years. He’s our preferred candidate for that role.
“I have to say, provided individuals do their roles and do them well, I don’t really worry about where they come to and from. That’s a matter for them.”
His words echo fellow minister Seema Malhotra, who said last month: “His track record of delivering complex change programmes across government, combined with his current role as immigration services commissioner, makes him ideally suited to take on this crucial independent oversight role at an important time for our border security.”