According to reports, the 222-room Bibby Stockholm is being considered, with a Home Office spokesperson stating that the move would reduce reliance on hotels and save taxpayers money. Charities, on the other hand, have warned that such shelter is “wholly inadequate” for vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution.
The Dutch government chastised the ship when it was previously used to house asylum seekers, but it has since been refurbished. Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick previously announced plans to house migrants at ex-military bases, but the proposals were slammed by Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who said they amounted to a “admittance of failure” in the system.
The use of a barge to house asylum seekers is a contentious idea that has sparked widespread opposition. On the one hand, the government claims that it is required in order to reduce the amount of money spent on migrant housing.
The Home Office estimates that taxpayers spend more than £6 million per day on hotel rooms for migrants. It also claims that using a barge would provide better value for money than staying in a hotel. Charities, on the other hand, have warned that military bases and boats are not suitable environments for vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution.
When it comes to housing asylum seekers, the Bibby Stockholm in particular has a checkered history. When the Dutch government used it for this purpose, the vessel was criticised as a “oppressive environment.” While it has since been refurbished, questions about the ship’s suitability as a refugee shelter remain.
Local and national politicians have both spoken out against the plans. Local Conservative MP Richard Drax, whose constituency includes Portland, has stated that “all legal avenues” are being pursued to stop the proposal.
Meanwhile, Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has slammed the government’s overall approach to managing the asylum system, claiming that using former military bases to house migrants is a “admittance of failure.”