UK ends contract for accommodation barge

The United Kingdom’s new Labor government has made the decision to end the controversial practice of housing migrants on the accommodation barge Bibby Stockholm. This move is part of a broader effort to reverse policies implemented by the previous Conservative government. The Prime Minister announced that the contract for the barge will not be renewed when it expires in January, citing concerns about both the conditions on board and the financial burden on taxpayers.

The Bibby Stockholm, a vessel built in 1976 and operated by Bibby Marine, has been docked at Portland Port in Dorset, accommodating up to 500 single male migrants. The scheme has faced criticism for its conditions, including disease outbreaks, and its cost to the UK taxpayers. The new government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, aims to terminate the housing of migrants on the barge as part of efforts to reform the asylum system and save £20 million ($25.7 million) next year.

The decision not to renew the contract for Bibby Stockholm is part of a larger plan to overhaul the asylum system, with expected savings of £7.7 billion ($10 billion) over the next decade. The government is focused on restarting asylum casework, clearing backlogs, and removing those deemed ineligible to stay in the UK. Additionally, the government has scrapped the controversial scheme to ship asylum seekers to Rwanda and is implementing measures to strengthen border security and disrupt criminal people smugglers.

Source .