Speaking to CSW, Pullinger (pictured), who took up his role on 1 July, said that statisticians are often caught “in the middle” of the “day-to-day rough and tumble of politics” and can find it hard to “resist their ministers” and stand up for the correct use of statistics.
Contradicting ministers, he said, is a “hard thing to ask” of a statistician, particularly if they are “relatively junior”. He added that “we need to give people the confidence that they will be backed if they say: 'This information can take you this far, but no further'.”
It is, he said, part of his job to “say: ‘Look, I will back you, because we care about professionalism’" and adds that "ultimately I've been appointed to be the head of the profession here – to stand up for using statistics in a way that can be trusted, and is trustworthy.”
Pullinger, who has replaced Jil Matheson, praised the work of the UKSA as a “defender of professionalism” that has helped prevent politicians from “messing with” statistics, but said he wants to take it to a “new level”.
He wants to get statisticians more involved in the policy-making process and “bring them to the decision-making table”, and has set himself three priorities for his five-year appointment.
For the full interview with Pullinger, request your free copy of the new monthly CSW magazine, published 15 July.