Bibby Stockholm: asylum barge in Dorset to start housing migrants within a fortnight, government says

An accommodation barge, which has just docked in Dorset, is set to house around 500 male asylum seekers within a fortnight, the government has said.

The Bibby Stockholm was pulled by a tug into Dorset’s Portland Port on Tuesday morning, with the proposals to use it to house migrants under Rishi Sunak’s bid to “stop the boats” crossing the Channel a month behind schedule. Bibby Marine Limited says the boat provides "luxury living" with up to 506 "guests" sharing 222 bedrooms.

Refugee charities have criticised these plans - which also include housing asylum seekers on military sites - saying they are “unsuitable” and “inappropriate” for people who have arrived in the UK in search of a safe haven. Alex Fraser, the British Red Cross’s UK director for refugee support, previously told NationalWorld that using these kind of sites could “re-traumatise” vulnerable men and women.

He said: “We know from our work supporting people seeking asylum that these sites will be entirely inappropriate and will lead to significant suffering. People who have been forced to flee their homes have already experienced unimaginable trauma. They need stability, support, to be able to maintain contact with their loved ones, and to feel safe.”

“Military sites, by their very nature, can re-traumatise people who have fled war and persecution,” he continued. “These sites may also put vulnerable people at risk of exploitation.”

The Bibby Stockholm is one of the first pieces of alternative accommodation to house asylum seekers, as the government looks to save money and stop housing them in hotels. Dorset Council has agreed a one-off funding payment of £377,000 to set up activities and volunteering opportunities as well as English lessons for those brought to the barge with an additional £3,500 per occupied bed.

Protesters gathered at the gates of Portland Port to show their opposition to the policy. Kelvin Thomson said that he feared for the safety of women living in the area with the arrival of “bored single men”, and told PA Media that he had bought pepper spray and a rape alarm for his daughter.

He said: “It’s a fear for the ladies of the island, the young girls and boys, with the influx of 500 very bored men with nothing to do. They are young men which frightens me a lot. I fear for my daughter, I have been on Amazon buying sprays and alarms. My concern is nothing to do with racism, it’s just what are 500 bored men going to do with next to no money?”

Meanwhile, the Home Office said one man was being treated for scabies at Wethersfield Airfield in Essex which came into use as asylum seeker accommodation last week. Campaigners are bringing a legal challenge against the airfield, while West Lindsey District Council is challenging similar plans for RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. The High Court gave the judicial review the green light to proceed.

The barge’s arrival came after a night of drama in which the Tory frontbench saw off five further changes being sought by the unelected chamber to the Illegal Migration Bill, including modern slavery protections and child detention limits. The reforms are a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s bid to try and deter people from making hazardous Channel crossings. They will prevent people from claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means.