Bibby Stockholm: migrants return

Written by David Fletcher 20 Oct 2023
Bibby Stockholm: migrants return

Migrants have returned to the accommodation barge Bibby Stockholm, which can house up to 500 individuals awaiting asylum decisions, after it was evacuated in August due to Legionella bacteria in the water supply. The Home Office has declared it ‘safe and secure’ following remediation efforts. Using it is part of a government policy to reduce the costs of housing migrants in hotels. Critics have raised concerns about the conditions on the barge, with Amnesty International likening it to ‘prison hulks from the Victorian era’. This comes after a legal challenge against housing asylum seekers on the vessel was dismissed in court. A further judicial review challenge regarding planning jurisdiction has been initiated. The Archbishop of Canterbury had previously called for a pause in the scheme for further consultation.

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