Home Office Moves 400 Asylum Seekers Off Bibby Stockholm Barge Ahead of Christmas Shutdown
Asylum Seekers Shift from Dorset Barge to Midlands Hotels
The Home Office has started relocating around 400 asylum seekers from the controversial Bibby Stockholm barge moored in Portland, Dorset. The barge, which faced heavy criticism, is set to close by Christmas under Labour’s latest shake-up of the UK’s creaking asylum system. Migrants are being moved to hotel and council accommodation across the Midlands, including a Wolverhampton hotel reserved for single males and council housing in Worksop, Bassetlaw Council confirmed.
Labour’s Strategy to Slash Asylum Backlog Comes with a Cost
The Bibby Stockholm closure is part of Labour’s plan to tackle a backlog soaring close to 120,000 asylum cases. Originally pitched as a cost-saving measure, the barge scheme has been scrapped amid political and public outcry. Labour also plans to wind down RAF Wethersfield in Essex, which currently houses 500 asylum seekers, though no shutdown date has been announced there yet.
Political Clash Over Migrant Moves to the Midlands
The transfer of asylum seekers to Midlands venues has sparked fresh political arguments. Robert Jenrick, former immigration minister and Bassetlaw MP, slammed the relocations, warning: “Illegal migration is not a political football; it’s a national security emergency… Labour should focus on stopping the boats by strengthening the Rwanda scheme, not scrapping it.”
A Home Office insider countered, highlighting that the government inherited record numbers of small boat arrivals and a huge backlog. “We are working step by step to restore order, boost border security, end hotel use, and create a fair, controlled immigration system,” the source said.
Massive Costs and Growing Demand Stretch Asylum System
With the Bibby Stockholm contract ending in January and no financial penalty for early closure, the Home Office estimates keeping the barge open would cost over £20 million next year. Meanwhile, asylum accommodation demand has surged, with nearly 30,000 migrants now housed in 250 hotels nationwide, costing taxpayers a staggering £4.2 million every single day.
This ongoing reshuffle exposes the deep challenges and eye-watering expenses facing the UK’s asylum crisis, as Labour tries to juggle financial pressures and humanitarian demands.
