Bibby Stockholm evacuation shows 'startling incompetence'

The evacuation of the government's Bibby Stockholm barge amid fears of a Legionella outbreak was the effect of "startling incompetence", a elder Conservative has said.

All 39 migrants were removed aft traces of Legionella bacteria were recovered successful the on-board h2o system.

The bacteria tin origin Legionnaires illness - a benignant of pneumonia.

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis said helium believes the outbreak should person been caught sooner.

The MP told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "It's really, truly hard to recognize how, astatine each layers, this could not beryllium caught early."

"The superior happening that's been revealed has been the startling incompetence of the Home Office itself.

"Rather famously galore years ago, John Reid, erstwhile helium took implicit arsenic Home Secretary, talked astir it being not acceptable for purpose, and I'm acrophobic you're seeing that here."

The barge, successful Dorset, is portion of the government's program to deter Channel crossings by migrants.

The Home Office said the migrants connected committee the vas were disembarked connected Friday arsenic a precaution.

Mr Davis, who served arsenic Shadow Home Secretary, added: "Even moving properly, the Bibby barge would lone instrumentality efficaciously 1 day's arrivals.

"So it's not a solution to the occupation and each of this is going to spell connected until the Home Office is capable to process these arrivals much quickly."