Labour think-tank boss apologises for saying smuggling gangs should be shipped to Scotland

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The director of an influential Labour think-tank has apologised after suggesting the federal government should put people-smugglers on a barge and ship it to the north of Scotland.

Fuelling tensions simply days forward of Scottish Labour’s annual convention, Josh Simons apologised for his “poorly judged comment made in jest” – which was denounced as “stupid” and “cringe” by Scottish Labour chief Anas Sarwar.

Speaking to LBC on Monday, Mr Simons – whose group Labour Together has shut hyperlinks to Sir Keir Starmer’s prime staff – stated his primary concern with Rishi Sunak’s ailing coverage of sending asylum-seekers to Rwanda “is not actually the human rights implications of it”.

“My main concern is this is a complete waste of money and it won’t work, it won’t stop the boats,” stated Mr Simons, who harbours hopes of turning into a Labour MP, in accordance to a supply.

“That’s the thing Rishi Sunak said: ‘judge me by stopping the boats’. He’s failed and he keeps failing, and meanwhile he is spending £8m a day, so far £400m.

“My problem with Rwanda is it won’t work, so the question is what are you going to do instead? I think while the Conservatives say they are being tough on the borders and beefing up policing and so on, I’ve seen no real evidence that’s in fact what they are doing with the commitment and clarity they need to.

“Why don’t you send the smuggler gangs and put them on the barge that has been set aside for the asylum seekers, and then ship the barge up to the north of Scotland for all I – you know, who cares?”

The feedback have provoked outrage amongst Scottish politicians, with Angus Robertson amongst prime SNP figures seizing on the remarks as “a timely reminder” that “Labour always took Scotland for granted”.

They had been additionally condemned on the prime of the Scottish Labour Party. Speaking to the Daily Record, Mr Sarwar stated: “Every party has elements on the fringes that give them moments of cringe.”

The occasion chief added: “He doesn’t represent the Labour Party and it’s actually quite a serious issue he trivialised. I think people that are making stupid, flippant comments like that are best ignored.”

And Monica Lennon, a senior Labour MSP, stated:” There should be no place within the Labour Party for these disgraceful feedback. Not caring concerning the human rights of individuals in search of asylum and disrespecting the folks of Scotland multi functional breath is kind of one thing.”

Formed in 2015 by Labour frontbenchers resembling Rachel Reeves, Wes Streeting, and Lisa Nandy, Labour Together claims to have “united the party behind Keir Starmer’s leadership”, whereas creating “bold new ideas” for the following Labour authorities.

Mr Simons turned the group’s director in 2022, having additionally labored as a Harvard analysis fellow, a visiting analysis scientist in AI at Facebook, and a coverage adviser to the Labour Party.

He beforehand instructed Politico he “was proud to take over an organisation that played such a vital role in ridding our party of antisemitism, making Labour electable again, and uniting the party around Keir Starmer”, and claimed Labour Together would “build networks that will help Labour win and deliver its agenda”.

Responding to the backlash over his remarks to LBC, he wrote on X/Twitter on Tuesday: “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.”

His feedback come after controversial Tory deputy chair Lee Anderson advised on GB News that asylum-seekers who arrive on small boats should be despatched to Orkney as a substitute of Rwanda, which the prime minister is in search of to do regardless of it being dominated illegal by the Supreme Court.