Bibby Stockholm barge tobe shut down in January
The Guardian|July 24, 2024
The Bibby Stockholm, the barge that has been used to accommodate asylum seekers, is to be shut down, the government has said.
Ben Quinn, Diane Taylor, Kiran Stacey
Bibby Stockholm barge tobe shut down in January

Use of the vessel, which is housing 400 people and is moored at Portland in Dorset, will stop when the current contract ends in January 2025.

The Home Office said in an announcement that ending the use of the Bibby Stockholm formed part of an expected £7.7bn of savings in asylum costs over the next 10 years.

Extending its use would have cost more than £20m next year, according to the department.

However, a Downing Street spokesperson said yesterday they could not specify where those on the barge would go in January, and would not rule out sending them to hotels.

They said: "Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, and will be made working closely with local authorities." The large vessel became an emblem of the last government's approach to migration. Last year Leonard Farruku, a musician who was seeking asylum after travelling from Albania, is thought to have killed himself on the barge.

This story is from the July 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

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This story is from the July 24, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

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