A top-ranking Home Office official has sparked fury after it emerged they were handed a £20,000 performance-related bonus – despite the number of small boat arrivals spiralling out of control during their watch.
The civil servant, whose total pay package exceeded £455,000 last year, was rewarded even as Channel crossings reached record levels, leaving taxpayers questioning the government's priorities.
Rewarding Failure?
Critics have slammed the bonus as "an insult" to British taxpayers, coming at a time when:
- Channel crossings hit record numbers under the official's tenure
- The Rwanda deportation scheme stalled after massive legal challenges
- Taxpayers footed a £3.5 million bill for unused migrant housing
"This is classic Whitehall – rewarding failure while ordinary people pick up the tab," said Migration Watch UK chairman Alp Mehmet.
Defending the Indefensible
The Home Office defended the payment, claiming bonuses are awarded for "a range of responsibilities" beyond migration statistics. However, documents show border security and immigration enforcement featured prominently in the official's performance metrics.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the revelation "outrageous," adding: "While the Tories lose control of our borders, they're handing out gold-plated bonuses to those presiding over this chaos."
The controversy comes as latest figures show over 12,000 migrants have crossed the Channel this year – putting 2024 on track to surpass previous records.
