Rishi Sunak has declined to comment on whether he received personal warnings regarding potential health hazards for asylum seekers aboard the Bibby Stockholm, following the discovery of bacteria on the barge.
All 39 asylum seekers were evacuated from the vessel, currently stationed in Portland, Dorset, on Friday after the presence of Legionella bacteria was detected in the water system of the barge. Legionella bacteria can lead to a severe respiratory infection known as Legionnaires’ disease, which is contracted through inhaling water droplets containing the bacteria.
Although the Home Office reports that none of the migrants aboard the barge have displayed symptoms of the illness, concerns have arisen due to the fact that individuals spent four days on the barge after the bacteria was identified and before being relocated by the Home Office as a “precautionary measure.”
The incident has sparked a dispute among officials about who had knowledge of the situation and when. Dorset Council asserts that Home Office contractors were informed about the findings on the preceding Monday—four days before the evacuation—further noting that a Home Office staff member was made aware of the bacteria on Tuesday. In contrast, a government insider previously stated that there is no record of such communication, and contended that the Home Office solely received written notification about the Legionella bacteria on Wednesday evening.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay stated yesterday that ministers were only notified about traces of the bacteria on Thursday. Home Office officials however, claim it was Wednesday. When questioned about his own awareness of potential health risks, Mr. Sunak avoided a direct response and stated, “What is important here is that we adhere to all the necessary checks and procedures to guarantee the health and well-being of individuals accommodated on the barge.” Sunak knows that if he lies like Boris Johnson would have done, he is mincemeat. Thus, he has been advised to return to good old being evasive.
The government views the presence of the barge as a deterrent for those entering England through small boats across the Channel. It is among various alternative sites employed by the Home Office to reduce dependency on costly hotels for asylum seekers, a measure the government claims incurs a daily expense of £6 million to taxpayers.
However, recent days have exposed the extent of the small boats crisis, with 755 individuals making the perilous crossing in a single day, bringing the cumulative total since 2018 to 100,000. Tragedy struck in the Channel as well, with at least six casualties resulting from the capsizing and sinking of a small boat traveling from France.
On Monday, another 11 individuals undertook the same journey, as reported by the Home Office. Mr. Sunak defended the government’s approach to addressing the crisis, asserting, “This is about fairness. It is about the inequity of British taxpayers having to bear the burden of £5 million or £6 million daily to accommodate unauthorised migrants in hotels nationwide, placing strain on local communities. We must find alternatives, and that’s the purpose of the barge and our commitment to it.”
A government that now merely serves its donors and corporate masters is clean out of ideas. It uses its Tory owned corporate media to brainwash those who are clearly not able to think or critically assess for themselves.
Just remember the adage:
Corporate media in; Offal out!
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