But even if I managed to clamp onto the existing box (or fit a new box within this) for glanding purposes, there will be some bit of the core running from here to the light. The light is not as deep as the plastic box. If these cores are sleeved - as I intended - isn't that sufficient?Main problem with your floating gland is you then have cores with only primary insulation exposed. You could i suppose sleeve them with some secondary (mechanical protection) insulation but it would still be rather shoddy.
Couple of alternatives;
Fix another backbox to the buried backbox, terminate in that, fix lamp.
Chop the plaster out so you can get a gland into the buried backbox