Sunak should fire those who let migrants on to the Bibby Stockholm

Placing people on the Dorset barge despite knowing there was a serious health risk is hugely negligent, writes Sean O’Grady. The first thing the PM should do, now he is back from his holiday, is find those responsible – and get rid of them

The least Sunak can do is to issue a full statement on what happened and who was culpable (Getty/AFP)

You may have noticed that last week was “small boats week.” Devised by the government’s communications team, the idea (presumably) was to highlight the successes of the government’s drive to end the flow of people making the dangerous journey across the English Channel in unseaworthy vessels. It didn’t quite end up like that, however.

It started with a relaunch of a barmy plan to send migrants to Ascension Island. Then, there were record arrivals and potential outbreaks of TB and Legionnaires’ disease on the infamous barge. It ended with the Bibby Stockholm being evacuated and the deaths of six more refugees in the Channel.

It’s fair to say that “small boats week” probably fell below the hopes of the ministers concerned – Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick. Neither figure is noted for their compassionate ways. The PR disaster couldn’t have happened to a nicer couple, you might say.