Sunak’s focus on small boats has shone a spotlight on Tory failure

What should have been a banner week for the Tories has instead highlighted how ineffective their asylum policy has been, writes Andrew Grice

There have been delays in moving migrants to the Bibby Stockholm barge (PA Wire)

The government’s policy on asylum is driven not by the Home Office, but by Downing Street. Further tensions between them have emerged during what is called "small boats week" on the government’s communications grid.

Things have not gone according to plan. Daily headline-seeking announcements during parliament’s summer recess, detailing tough action against illegal migration, should have been easy pickings. But delays in migrants moving on to the Bibby Stockholm, the giant barge moored in Portland, were followed by a clumsy Home Office suggestion that asylum seekers could be sent 4,000 miles to Ascension Island for their claims to be processed – and was slapped down by an irritated Number 10.