Plan for cruise ship to accommodate asylum seekers close to Liverpool scrapped

Plans for a large cruise ship to accommodate asylum seekers close to Liverpool have been scrapped after being declined by port officers.

A authorities supply has advised Sky News the vessel was as a result of home 500 males looking for asylum in Birkenhead, however that can now not occur following objections from Peel Ports.

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The ship would have been a brand new, seventh web site acquired by the Home Office underneath controversial plans to begin transferring migrants from lodges in a bid to crack down on unlawful immigration.

The rejection comes after it emerged permission to berth a barge housing asylum seekers at an east London docks was additionally refused.

London’s Royal Docks stated it had knowledgeable the Home Office final month that water beside City Airport wouldn’t be applicable as a possible location to moor one in all its floating lodging vessels.

Scott Derben, managing director of London’s Royal Docks, stated on Thursday: “London’s Royal Docks have been approached by the Home Office to have a look at the feasibility of berthing a cruise ship to accommodate asylum seekers.

“After investigation, it was concluded that this would not be an appropriate use for the Royal Docks.

“The Home Office have been knowledgeable of this determination in May.”

The use of barges, in addition to former navy barracks, is a part of authorities efforts to discourage migrants from embarking on harmful Channel crossings in small boats and to cut back the £6 million every day spend on lodges.

Charities and opposition MPs have blasted the plans and referred to as on the federal government to give attention to lowering the asylum seeker backlog.

Tory MPs have additionally voiced opposition to the websites being operated of their areas.

Richard Drax, the Conservative MP for South Dorset, stated the vessel as a result of dock in his constituency within the coming weeks shall be “nothing more than a quasi-prison”.

As nicely because the Bibby Stockholm, as a result of arrive in Portland off the coast of Dorset imminently, Rishi Sunak stated final week that the government had acquired two more vessels as he insisted his plan to “stop the boats” is working.

He declined to say the place they’d be moored, however there was hypothesis they may very well be docked round Liverpool and Middlesbrough.