Asylum seeker barge plan would face legal challenge

The UK government’s plan to house asylum seekers on a barge off the coast of Dorset is facing legal challenges, according to reports.

The Bibby Stockholm, a three-storey vessel capable of housing more than 500 people, could be docked off Portland as part of the controversial plan aimed at reducing reliance on hotels.

Local Conservative MP Richard Drax has said that “all legal routes” are being explored to try to prevent the move, while charities have said that boats are an inadequate solution for housing those fleeing war and persecution.

The government has argued that the use of boats and ex-military bases will provide better value for taxpayers than hotels.

More than 51,000 asylum seekers are currently being housed in nearly 400 hotels across the UK, with the issue said to have been exacerbated by an increase in small boat arrivals.