Labour would use asylum seeker barges quickly whereas tackling instances backlog
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arges can be utilized by a Labour authorities to deal with asylum seekers for a “very short” interval whereas the instances backlog is tackled, the shadow immigration minister has mentioned.
Stephen Kinnock mentioned former navy bases would additionally proceed for use for a interval of presumably round six months throughout work to deliver down claims delays from a report excessive.
Shadow dwelling secretary Yvette Cooper has beforehand indicated she wouldn’t be capable of instantly shut down the websites however declined to be specific concerning the coverage.
On Sunday, Mr Kinnock instructed BBC Breakfast: “The reality is that we’ve got tens of thousands of people in hotels, we need to get them out of hotels and we need to get them off the barges and out of the military camps too.
“Because of the complete and utter chaos and shambles of the Tory asylum crisis, we are going to have to continue in a very short-term period to use the infrastructure that is there, including the barges and the hotels.”
Mr Kinnock mentioned he can not give a particular timeline as ministers work to deliver down the choices backlog from a report excessive of greater than 172,000 instances.
The Labour MP added: “We will be forced to use these contingency measures because of the mess the Government has made.
“I’m confident that within six months of a Labour government we will be getting on top of the backlog and clearing people out of hotels and putting them into suitable accommodation, or removing them from the country properly because they have no right to be here.”
Mr Kinnock added to Sky News that he feels “deeply unhappy” about having to resort to the barges.
“This is the last thing we would want to be doing because we believe that people who are applying for asylum should be in appropriate accommodation,” he mentioned.
The Bibby Stockholm in Portland Port, Dorset, is the primary barge the Government has procured to deal with asylum seekers whereas their claims are processed.
After a sequence of delays, it nonetheless has no migrants dwelling on it amid continued security fears centring on plans to deal with about 500 folks on it – far over its unique capability.