Asylum seeker barge denial

City council refutes newspaper reports

Plymouth City Council is refuting claims that the city is being considered as a host port for an asylum seeker barge.

The claims came in the Guardian newspaper in an article about the future of the government’s plans to deal with its huge backlog of asylum claims from refugees coming to Britain.

The Guardian said Plymouth could become the latest location for a giant vessel to house asylum seekers. It is said to be one of several places along the south coast examined by Home Office staff.

The newspaper quoted ‘a local maritime insider’ as saying: “It’s not impossible to put an accommodation barge in Plymouth, but it’s difficult to see where without interfering with vital port services and operations.”

Prime minister Rishi Sunak announced last weekend that two more giant vessels would be used to house around 1,000 people seeking asylum in the UK. He declined to say where, but one of the barges is expected to be moored in Birkenhead near Liverpool.

On Twitter, the city council said: “Despite news in the Guardian that Plymouth is being considered as a location for an asylum seeker barge, we’ve received reassurances from the Home Office that whilst they are considering all UK possibilities there is no active consideration of Plymouth.”

The Home Office has been using seaside hotels in places such as Paignton and Torquay as accommodation for refugees, but has said they will only be used in the short term.

A spokesman said: “The use of expensive hotels to house asylum seekers crossing the Channel is unacceptable, and must end. Alternative accommodation options, including barges, will save the British taxpayer money.”