Bibby Stockholm, pictured in the port of Portland, Dorset, was also used by the German government to house asylum seekers. Credit: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
Critics of Britain's first asylum barge should stop their 'shouts of outrage', the Deputy Prime Minister said ahead of the transfer of the first asylum seekers after weeks of delays.
Oliver Dowden defended this plan the day before arrivals who are currently staying in taxpayer-funded hotel rooms are to be transferred to the Bibby Stockholm barge at the port of Portland in Dorset.
He also promised to «stop migrants from La Mansha before they even start» as the government announced a new partnership with social media giants to crack down on ads placed by smugglers.
Writing for The Telegraph, Mr Dowden argued that Bibby Stockholm, which can accommodate up to 500 asylum seekers, would help process arrivals quickly and reduce the cost of staying at a hotel, which currently stands at £6 million a day.
He writes: “The barges were used by other countries, so why not? Indeed, Bibby Stockholm, which causes so much anxiety among left-wing activists, was used by the German government to safely and securely accommodate migrants before us.
“We didn’t hear screams of indignation from them then. This government has made stopping boats one of our top five priorities because these crossings undermine the values of justice on which our society is built. This is a question that is of great importance to people in this country.”
Mr. Dowden argued that Bibby Stockholm would help process arrivals quickly while lowering hotel costs. Photo: Simon Dawson/10 Downing Street
Bibbie's residence in Stockholm has been criticized from across the political spectrum.
Richard Drax, the Conservative MP for South Dorset, warned that «none of the key questions have been answered» about the barge in his constituency. arguing that it is not suitable to accommodate 500 people, although Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, refused to rule out the use of barges to house migrants if the party is elected.
The barge was due to receive its first 40 asylum seekers on Tuesday , but they were plagued by delays.
Government sources accused the Occupational Health and Safety Authority of having to harmonize the «work methods» of port personnel, which was later revealed to be due to the lack of reflective vests for workers, as well as the need for vehicles on the dock to be separated. from staff and migrants.
The government insisted that further delays were due to delays in employees' licenses due to the location of the barge.
Meanwhile, the Fire Brigade Union said the barge was a potential «death trap» and wrote to the Home Office in response to members' concerns about the fire risk associated with narrow corridors and access to emergency exits.
The migrants will be accommodated in rooms for up to six people, with 222 cabins along long, narrow corridors across three decks. There are only two main exits that lead to the mooring complex and it is located behind two sets of security gates blocking access to the main port.
Residential barge (Bibby Stockholm) for asylum seekers
Ahead of a week of immigration policy announcements aimed at highlighting divisions between Conservatives and Labour, Mr Dowden also accused Sir Keir Starmer's party of wanting to «obstruct our efforts at every turn».
It comes from from the government. announced that it has joined forces with Meta, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) to accelerate action against criminals who share information about illegal clicks on their platforms.
This may include bulk discount offers and false security claims aisle, with some smugglers using emojis to avoid filters blocking their online ads.
Rishi Sunak said of the plans: “This new commitment from tech firms will make us redouble our efforts to fight these criminals . working together to stop their nefarious trade.»
Suella Braverman, secretary of the interior, added that the ban «ensures content promoting dangerous and illegal Channel crossings doesn't see the light of day.»< /p>
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«Stop the boats» is one of the prime minister's five key pledges to win votes ahead of next year's general election.
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