Home Office buys marquees to house migrants ahead of expected surge in Channel crossings
The Home Office has bought marquees to accommodate 2,000 migrants at disused military sites by the end of August, Sky News understands.
The tents will start to be erected over the coming weeks as part of emergency plans to deal with an expected surge of Channel crossings.
According to The Times, which first reported on the story, Border Force is predicting that the next three months will be the busiest time for the small boat journeys in a repeat of last year.
A Home Office source told the newspaper: “It’s obvious we can’t again be in a position where we’re having to spot-book expensive hotels on the fly for migrants.
“There’s nothing wrong with this kind of temporary accommodation when needed. Other countries do use it as well.”
Politics Live: PM and Khan trade blows over housing
This is not the first time the government has used marquees to house asylum seekers – several were erected at the Manston processing centre last autumn to deal with a surge of arrivals.
The tents are part of a wider strategy to seeking out new accommodation for asylum seekers to reduce the hotel bill to house them, which the government claims costs taxpayers £6m a day.
On Tuesday, the first asylum seekers are set to move on to the controversial Bibby Stockholm barge, a Whitehall source told Sky News.
An initial 50 single men are set to be moved on board the vessel that is docked in Portland Port in Dorset, with that number expected to rise to 500 in the coming months.
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
A record backlog and thousands of people making unauthorised crossings of the Channel have strained the system as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak battles to “stop the boats”.
But refugee charities said the use of such sites is damaging to the needs of vulnerable people, and also raised concerns for migrants’ safety.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
What’s it like onboard the Bibby Stockholm
Conservative MPs representing areas where the facilities are being established have also been worried about how local services in their constituencies will be impacted, such as police and healthcare.
A month behind schedule after undergoing repairs, the Bibby Stockholm was met by protesters as it arrived in Portland Port on Tuesday last week.
Some residents have raised concerns for their safety on the island with a population of around 13,000 and argued that it does not have the infrastructure to provide for the newcomers and those already there.
Read more:
Arrival of first asylum seekers on Bibby Stockholm barge delayed
Cruise ships set to house asylum seekers in Liverpool and Edinburgh sent back to owners
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “The Bibby Stockholm has completed a statutory inspection and refurbishment and is now berthing in Portland.
“The welfare of those in our care is of the utmost priority and the barge is now undergoing final preparations to ensure it complies with all appropriate regulations before the arrival of the first asylum seekers in the coming weeks.”
Regulatory clarity is opening the door for banks, asset managers, and crypto firms to roll out new stablecoin products.
After about two weeks of hearing from US government witnesses, Roman Storm’s legal team called Preston Van Loon to the stand to kick off its defense case.
Emmanuel Macron has said France will recognise Palestine as a state later this year.
The French president announced the major change of policy in a letter to the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, which Mr Macron also published online on Thursday evening.
The French leader said he will make the formal announcement at the UN General Assembly, being held in September.
France will become the first G7 member to recognise a Palestinian state.
In his post explaining the decision, Mr Macron called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of the hostages and for much more humanitarian aid to reach those in the territory.
But Israel’s defence minister has called the French decision “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky’s international correspondent John Sparks, reports on the children in Gaza who are experiencing malnutrition, one child wishes for ‘life to go back to how it was.’
The move heaps pressure on France’s allies such as the UK, and Sir Keir Starmer insisted tonight that he is “clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people”.
But the prime minister has resisted calls from within his own party to recognise Palestine immediately, as he views this as part of the peace process in Gaza.
Currently, half of the G20 recognise Palestine as a state, while nations including the UK, US, Germany and others do not.
But pressure has been growing on Sir Keir to change course, with senior Labour figures including the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan publicly calling for a change in government policy.
Starmer: ‘We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe’
Just hours before Mr Macron’s announcement, Sir Keir said he would be holding an “emergency call” with the leaders of France and Germany over what he termed the “humanitarian catastrophe” happening in Gaza.
In some of the firmest language from the government yet, Sir Keir said that “the suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible”.
He went on to say that it has been “grave for some time”, but that it has now “reached new depths and continues to worsen”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
The PM says that
Sir Keir said: “I will hold an emergency call with E3 partners tomorrow, where we will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace.”
The PM added that “we all agree” on the need for Israel to “change course and allow aid that is desperately needed to enter Gaza without delay”.
He wrote: “It is hard to see a hopeful future in such dark times. But I must reiterate my call for all sides to engage in good faith, and at pace, to bring about an immediate ceasefire and for Hamas to unconditionally release all hostages.”
Across the globe, more than 140 countries recognise Palestine as a state.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the latest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike