Portland residents call for migrant barge to be moored elsewhere
The Bibby Stockholm barge, which will provide accommodation to 500 asylum seekers, arrived in Dorset on Tuesday morning, with the first refugees expected to board later this month.
The vessel left Falmouth Harbour in Cornwall on Monday and was met by protesters objecting to its location in Portland Port with placards reading “no to the barge” while others held banners which read “refugees welcome” and “no floating prisons”.
The barge is set to be in Portland for 18 months and is the first time migrants have been housed in this way in the UK.
The Home Office said in a statement that “using vessels as alternative accommodation, like our European neighbours are already doing, will be better value for British taxpayers and more manageable for communities than costly hotels”.
Downing Street has defended housing asylum seekers in this way, claiming that it will reduce the daily ￡6million hotel bill.
READ MORE: Portland migrant barge's arrival sparks outrage as locals fume at 'disaster' [LATEST]
Should the Government be housing 500 asylum seekers on a Dorset barge? (Image: Getty)
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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's official spokesman said: “I think it's right for the public as a whole that we move away from a situation where ￡6million a day of taxpayers' money is going towards housing these individuals in hotels.
“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.
“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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Refugee Council has previously said that the barge will be “completely inadequate” to house “vulnerable people”, with chief executive Enver Solomon adding: “A floating barge does not provide what they need nor the respect, dignity and support they deserve.”
So what do YOU think? Should Government be housing 500 asylum seekers in this way? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comment section below.
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