A LABOUR think tank director has apologised after “poorly-judged” comments about sending people-smuggling gangs on a barge to Scotland.
Josh Simons, director of the influential Keir Starmer-linked Labour Together think tank, came in for fierce criticism after suggesting people smugglers could be put on a barge and shipped “up to the north of Scotland”.
Labour Together holds considerable sway within the party. Its former director Morgan McSweeney is now Starmer’s key elections strategist.
Simons drew ire when speaking on LBC on Monday night, when he said his “main concern with Rwanda is not actually the human rights implications of it” but his belief the asylum seeker deportation scheme would not work.
'Why don't you put the smuggler gangs on the barge and ship it to Scotland for all I care?'
— LBC (@LBC) February 12, 2024
Criticising the government's Rwanda plan, @joshsimonstweet has a solution for the 'small boats crisis' if Labour win the next election.
@IainDale pic.twitter.com/rZrGJmaoSB
He added: “I think that while the Conservatives say that they are being tough on the borders and beefing up the policing and so on, I have seen no real evidence that that is in fact what they are doing, with the kind of commitment and clarity that they need to.
“I mean, you know, why don’t you send the smuggler gangs and put them on the barge that you know has been set aside for the asylum seekers and then, you know, ship the barge up to the north of Scotland, who cares?”
READ MORE: 'Put smuggler gangs on barge and send them to Scotland', says key Labour figure
National contributor Owen Jones (below) said: “The contemptuous way he talks about Scotland as though being sent there is some sort of gruesome punishment is another.”
Now Simons has apologised for his comments, saying: “I love the country.”
He tweeted: “Following my comments on LBC last night, I apologise for any negative insinuation about Scotland.
“I’m half Scottish, I love the country and it is where much of my family comes from. It was a poorly judged comment made in jest and doesn’t reflect my views, or the views of the Labour Party.
“I was seeking to draw attention to the immorality of housing asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution on a barge while smuggler gangs get off free under the Conservatives.”
READ MORE: Labour U-turn on support for Rochdale candidate after 'offensive' Israel claims
Asylum seekers are being housed on the Bibby Stockholm barge off the Dorset coast. Albanian asylum seeker Leonard Farruku died of a suspected suicide on the barge last year.
MPs from the cross-party Home Affairs Committee and Joint Committee on Human Rights have raised concerns that cramped, overcrowded conditions on the barge are damaging the mental health of people kept there by the Government.
Scottish Labour have attempted to distance themselves from Simons’s comments, calling them “ludicrous”.
A party spokesperson said: “Every party has elements on the fringes that give them moments of cringe.
“This is a ludicrous comment and we couldn’t be clearer Josh Simons's views do not represent the Labour Party.
“People making stupid comments like this are best ignored.
“Labour will scrap the Tories’ immoral and unworkable Rwanda plan and tackle criminal gangs.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel