MP Demands Safety Reports for Asylum Seeker Barge
A Tory MP has slammed the government for failing to provide safety details on a controversial barge housing asylum seekers. The Bibby Stockholm is set to accommodate 500 people at Portland Port in Dorset, but Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, warns it’s packed well beyond its 250-person design limit.
Concerns Over Overcrowding and Safety
Loder has blasted Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Transport Minister Baroness Vere in letters demanding either an immediate halt to the barge’s use or proof that it can safely hold double its capacity. Despite months of requests, safety risk assessments remain unpublished.
The MP also revealed that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency failed to carry out essential safety checks on the vessel, raising fresh alarms about the wellbeing of those onboard.
Government’s Struggle to House Asylum Seekers
The government is scrambling for cheaper asylum accommodation alternatives, with the Bibby Stockholm joining former military bases and talks of giant marquees as temporary shelters. The barge’s move to Dorset is almost a month late, expected to provide basic housing, healthcare, catering, and round-the-clock security. The Home Office estimates running costs at £20,000 a day.
Dorset Council has pocketed £2 million to help support the new residents, but local MPs and councils remain fiercely opposed. South Dorset’s Richard Drax even threatened legal action over the barge’s deployment.
Home Office Defends Barge Plans
Responding to Loder’s concerns, the Home Office insists the Bibby Stockholm is en route to Portland and praises vessels as cheaper, manageable asylum housing. They promised close work with councils and partners to ease local disruptions, backed by substantial funding.
But with safety assurances still missing, critics warn this floating accommodation could spell trouble for Dorset’s residents and the asylum seekers alike.
