The small boats crisis has emerged as the most potent vote-turning issue in the UK, driving voter support toward Nigel Farage’s Reform Party.
However, recent parliamentary activity tells a different story.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper appeared before the Home Affairs Select Committee, where she was expected to face tough scrutiny over the ongoing illegal immigration issue.
Surprisingly, it took over ninety minutes before the subject of small boats was even mentioned, and when it finally surfaced, it received just ten minutes of subdued questioning.
Labour’s Grip on the Committee Room
The reason for this muted scrutiny appears to lie in the committee’s composition.
Following Labour’s landslide election victory, the select committees are heavily dominated by MPs loyal to Sir Keir Starmer.
One of the most active questioners was Chris Murray, MP for Edinburgh East & Musselburgh.
Murray, whose mother Margaret Curran is a former Labour MP and now a minister in the House of Lords, appeared unusually gentle in his line of questioning.
Observers likened his demeanour more to a tea-room server than a probing legislator.
A Web of Political Connections
Labour’s internal network also featured prominently during the hearing.
Jake Richards, MP for Rother Valley, revealed that his sister is Yvette Cooper’s chief of staff.
Their father, Steve Richards, is a well-known journalist with Blairite affiliations.
To complicate matters further, Jake’s sister is married to Gregor Poynton, Labour MP for Livingston, who was previously married to yet another Labour MP, Gemma Doyle.
This tight web of relationships raised eyebrows, drawing comparisons to dynastic families and casting doubt on Labour’s meritocratic image.
A Controlled but Hollow Performance
Throughout the session, Yvette Cooper managed to field questions with what some described as machine-like efficiency.
From a side angle, observers noticed her calculated responses, precise gestures, and robotic tone.
Despite covering issues like the Liverpool crash and youth extremism, her answers were deemed overly rehearsed, lacking warmth or spontaneity.
Interestingly, Cooper wore no watch, but her fingers bore ink stains, suggesting a hands-on approach to paperwork.
Beside her sat Dame Antonia Romeo, the newly appointed permanent secretary.
Once known for her flamboyant style, Romeo seemed unusually restrained and silent under Cooper’s command.
Brushing Off the Core Issues
When Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, hesitantly raised the question of whether the UK might need to reconsider its commitments to European human-rights conventions in order to curb small boat arrivals, Cooper dismissed the idea without much resistance.
She stressed the importance of maintaining good relations with France and Germany.
The committee chair, Dame Karen Bradley, appeared disengaged, and only a few MPs managed to land significant points.
Robbie Moore pressed on grooming gangs, while Paul Kohler appeared distracted, absorbed in his own quirks.
Bigger Crisis, Smaller Focus
While the Home Affairs Committee under Labour control chose to soft-pedal the small boats issue, public frustration continues to mount.
New data from the Home Office shows a record-breaking 14,811 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats this year—a figure not reached until mid-July in previous years.
This surge underscores the growing disconnect between parliamentary oversight and public concerns.
Symbolism in the Commons
Elsewhere in Parliament, another debate highlighted the oddity of the day’s proceedings.
MPs discussed contaminated drinking water, during which an appropriately named MP, Mr Swallow, took the floor—a surreal detail that mirrored the performative nature of the select committee.
As the country grapples with real challenges at its borders, parliamentary theatre continues to prioritise loyalty over leadership—a misalignment that is only fuelling the rise of political alternatives like Reform.