What is known
- Publicity / Deterrence Campaigns Abroad
The Home Office has launched advertising campaigns in countries like Iraq to try to deter people from making small boat crossings. The idea is to counter smuggler claims, social media misinformation, etc. (BBC) - Consultant / Contractor Spending & Use of External Support
- The Home Office’s use of external/consultant contracts related to migration and border control (including small boats) is large, and has grown greatly over recent years. For instance, around 2023, there was a jump in spending on consultants for small boats policy, border technology etc. (Telegraph)
- Management consulting firms (Deloitte, Accenture etc.) have had contracts connected with immigration, small boats support functions etc. (The Independent)
- Government Statements / Policy Measures about Tackling Small Boats
- Labour has made “smash the gangs” a key plank in its small boat migration policy. (The Guardian)
- There is some recognition inside government and among ministers that public perception is important (“successfully tackling irregular migration is key to public’s perception of the government”) because small boats crossings are politically sensitive. (BBC)
- Criticism of Spending on Promotional Roles or “Graphic Designer” etc
- There has been media coverage (especially in some outlets like GB News) of roles advertised by the Home Office such as a graphic designer (~£44,000/year) to promote Labour’s efforts or immigration policies. These stories suggest the government is using public communications / messaging as part of its migration strategy. (GB News)
What isn’t (or hasn’t been) found / is unconfirmed
- I did not locate any credible source (major newspaper, official document) stating that an expert has been hired for £91,000, nor what that expert’s job would specifically be (e.g. public persuasion regarding the small boats crisis under Labour).
- No source confirms that the Home Office has made a contract exactly valued “£91,000” for messaging, PR, or similar, targeted at persuading the public that Labour is tackling the issue.
Possible Explanations
Given what is known, here are some plausible scenarios that might have led to such reports, or be part of what people are referring to:
- Mix-up / rounding: Perhaps there is a contract or consultancy role in the tens of thousands (e.g. £80,000-£100,000) that relates to public messaging or communications, which got misreported or tweaked into “£91,000 expert persuading public” in some media.
- Role in communications / graphic design / public campaigns: We saw the case of a graphic designer role for ~£44,000 to “promote immigration achievements” or messaging around migration. There might be other higher-paid roles (senior comms experts / contractors) that haven’t been highlighted widely. (GB News)
- Media exaggeration or political framing: Sometimes news outlets or commentators frame roles in those terms (“expert to persuade…”) even when the actual role is more technical or administrative or part of a broader communications / deterrence campaign.
Conclusion & My Assessment
- Verdict: The claim that there is a specific “expert” hired for £91,000 for the purpose of persuading Britons that Labour is tackling small boats cannot be verified* with the sources I found. It appears to be either unsubstantiated or perhaps a mischaracterisation of some other contract or role.
- Likely reality: The Home Office is definitely investing in messaging, deterrence campaigns, external consultants, and public communication roles in relation to small boats and migration more generally. But whether any one such role matches the details (“expert”, “£91,000”, “for persuading public that Labour is tackling small boats”) is not clear.
- The UK Home Office is offering a communications expert up to £91,000 per year for a Deputy Director of Migration Communications role. This position aims to support the department in demonstrating that the Labour government is effectively addressing the small boats crisis. The job advertisement specifies that the successful candidate should possess a “resilient” mindset and “personal authority” (GB News).
This initiative coincides with a significant increase in small boat crossings. In 2025, over 35,000 migrants have arrived via small boats, marking a 33% rise compared to the same period in the previous year (GB News). The Home Office’s strategy includes public messaging campaigns and external consultancy support to bolster its efforts in tackling this issue.
The Labour government has pledged to curb small boat arrivals, citing a “moral responsibility.” Since taking office, over 13,000 migrants, including failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals, have been deported (The Times). Despite discontinuing the previous government’s Rwanda plan, Labour is focusing on returning migrants to their home countries and enhancing law enforcement measures to address the small boats crisis.