The Tories cannot do right on migration. Party officials are desperate to look tough on illegal crossings to win favour among voters ahead of next year’s general election. But every scheme, following months and months of idle talk, ends in humiliation.
The latest, described as “the flagship of the government’s latest plan to ‘stop the boats,’” is no exception to this rule.
There has been much talk about the housing of 500 single male asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm barge, which was converted into an accommodation barge in 1992 and has since been described as appearing like a “floating prison.” Rishi Sunak’s government said this would reduce the amount currently spent on hotel bills for migrants (around £6 million a day) and help to deter others from making the dangerous journey to Britain’s shores.
Reports suggested around 50 migrants were to be housed on the barge at first, but after a predictably disastrous launch, just 15 are now on board.
The transfers of as many as 20 migrants were blocked after lawyers backed by the Care4Calais charity said they were too traumatised to be moved. Some, after crossing the Channel on small yet packed dinghies, were not moved because of their “severe fear of water.”
Care4Calais Chief Executive Steve Smith told The Daily Telegraph that the reasons for the blocks
range from people with disabilities and survivors of torture to people who have been beaten, shot at, some arrested, some traumatised by seeing their friends drown at sea and who therefore have a severe fear of water.
There are therefore mental health concerns and a very worried and very traumatised community. Details of those individuals have been passed to lawyers who have raised challenges about the suitability screening.
Challengers have also accused the Home Office of failing to properly screen the migrants to see if it would be suitable placing them on the barge—a significant and sloppy oversight if true.
Migrants have been warned that if they do not board the Bibby Stockholm, their government support will be withdrawn. This decision could no doubt be overturned by lawyers, too.
This start—or, rather, non-start—to the barge scheme is reminiscent of the Rwanda plan launch, which saw the flight of just seven migrants to the Central African country cancelled at the last minute due to legal challenges.
