A controversial barge that is set to accommodate 500 asylum seekers has arrived in Dorset.
The Bibby Stockholm departed Falmouth in Cornwall on Monday – one month behind schedule.
It was pulled by a tugboat into Portland Port on Tuesday morning.
The vessel’s arrival in Dorset – which has been opposed by the local MP and residents – came hours after the government’s Illegal Migration Bill passed the Lords.
The first asylum seekers are expected to board the Bibby Stockholm later this month.
Downing Street has defended the use of barges to house migrants – insisting it is a cheaper alternative to accommodating them in hotels.
Rishi Sunak‘s official spokesman told reporters: “I think it’s right for the public as a whole that we move away from a situation where £6m a day of taxpayers’ money is going towards housing these individuals in hotels.
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“That’s not a good use of money and obviously that puts unplanned pressure on local areas as well.
“We think it is better to open specific sites designed to house immigrants that come in, done in a more planned way.
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“That’s what we are seeking to do with the Bibby Stockholm and that’s what we’re seeking to do in other parts of the country – opening up sites to take the pressure off local areas and to reduce the cost.”
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0:23
Barge to house asylum seekers arrives in UK
A Home Office spokesperson said using vessels as accommodation will be “better value” for taxpayers and “more manageable for communities than costly hotels”.
“We continue to work extremely closely with local councils and key partners to prepare for arrival of asylum seekers later this month and minimise disruption for local residents including through substantial financial support,” they added.
During debate over the Illegal Migration Bill, Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth said the UK’s asylum system was “overwhelmed” by small boat arrivals.
He told peers: “With over 45,000 people making dangerous Channel crossings last year this is simply no longer sustainable.
“If people know there is no way for them to stay in the UK, they won’t risk their lives and pay criminals thousands of pounds to arrive here illegally.
“It is therefore only right that we stop the boats and break the business model of the criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people, ultimately enabling the government to have greater capacity to provide a safe haven for those at risk of war and persecution.”
Bill could cause ‘unimaginable harm and trauma’ to children
Ms Powell told Sky News’ Kay Burley on Tuesday morning that the use of barges showed the government’s plans were not working.
“These barges…are a sign of failure that the backlogs continue, that we need more and more capacity in hotels, in barges and elsewhere to deal with people who are waiting for decisions, because that’s just not happening.”
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Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper branded the Illegal Migration Bill a “con”, insisting it will “only make the Tories asylum chaos worse”.
“It fails to tackle the criminal smuggler gangs and makes it easier for traffickers,” she said.
“And it cancels asylum decision making with no return agreements in place so it will just increase the asylum backlog with even more people in costly hotels.
“The asylum backlog is a record high, the number of people in hotels is still increasing, the Rwanda plan is unravelling and June boat crossings were higher than last year. Just like last year’s Tory immigration bill, this new law is set to make things worse.”
Protests over barge arrival
Protesters gathered for the arrival of the Bibby Stockholm – with some residents raising concerns about Portland Port being used to house asylum seekers.
Image: Rival protesters argue in Portland in Dorset
Some held banners saying “Refugees welcome” and “No floating prisons”.
Others said “No to the barge”.
The government is also planning to use disused airfields to house asylum migrants – but faces a High Court challenge from councillors and campaigners.
Braintree District Council and a nearby resident are bringing legal action to challenge the use of Wethersfield in Essex to house up to 1,700 men.
Dozens of asylum seekers have already been moved into the site.
West Lindsey District Council is also challenging similar plans for RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.
Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe execs once ruled out adopting crypto over concerns of volatility and risk, and the banking giant also blocked customer crypto transactions back in 2015.
Sir Keir Starmer continues to face the threat of a major rebellion during a key vote on welfare reforms later – despite making last-minute concessions to disgruntled Labour MPs.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that all existing claimants of the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability benefit, will be protected from changes to eligibility.
The combined value of the standard Universal Credit allowance and the health top-up will rise “at least in line with inflation” every year of this parliament.
And an additional £300m for employment support for sick and disabled people in 2026 has been announced, which will rise every year after.
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10:54
Welfare cuts ‘needed to be made’
Ms Kendall has also promised that a consultation into PIP – “co-produced” with disabled people – will be published next autumn.
She said the U-turn on welfare cuts will cost taxpayers about £2.5bn by 2030 – less than half the £4.8bn the government had expected to save with its initial proposals.
But after announcing the U-turns, Labour MPs were still publicly saying they could not back the plans as they do not go far enough to allay their concerns.
Disabilities minister Stephen Timms would not say he was “confident” the proposals would pass the Commons when asked on Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.
“We’ve got a very strong package, I certainly hope it passes,” he replied.
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1:49
‘Disabled people thrown under the bus’
A total of 86 charities united yesterday to call on MPs to reject the reforms, saying they will harm disabled people and calling it “a political choice”.
The likes of Oxfam, Child Action Poverty Group, Mind and Shelter said the bill has been brought to a vote without consulting disabled people and without any assessment “of its impact on health and employment outcomes”.
When asked to name “a single” disability organisation in favour of the reforms, Ms Kendall declined to do so.
Several Labour MPs indicated they would still vote against the changes, leaving the government in the dark over how big a rebellion it still may face.
Ms Kendall tried to allay their fears, telling MPs: “I believe we have a fair package, a package that protects existing claimants because they’ve come to rely on that support.”
Richard Burgon presented a petition to parliament yesterday evening against the cuts, signed by more than 77,000 people.
Several Labour MPs questioned why the vote was going ahead before the review into PIP is published – including Rachael Maskell, who said she could not “countenance sick and disabled people being denied support” and added: “It is a matter of conscience.”
Connor Naismith said the concessions “undoubtedly improve efforts to secure welfare reform which is fair”, but added: “Unfortunately, I do not believe these concessions yet go far enough.”
Image: Labour rebel Nadia Whittome said the government was ‘ignoring’ disabled people
Nadia Whittome accused the government of “ignoring” disabled people and urged ministers to go “back to the drawing board”.
Ian Byrne told the Commons he will vote against the “cruel cuts” to disability benefits because the “so-called concessions go nowhere near far enough”.
The vote will take place this evening, with coverage on Sky News’ Politics Hub live blog and on TV.