Hundreds of migrants are being relocated from the Bibby Stockholm barge to alternative housing across the Midlands in a move that has left residents and officials voicing deep concerns about a “queue-jumping” scenario in the housing market.
The Labour government has opted to close the floating asylum facility, situated off Portland in Dorset, by Christmas.
As part of a swift relocation effort, some 400 asylum seekers are now set to move to hotels and rented properties in Wolverhampton and Worksop, Nottinghamshire, raising questions from local authorities and constituents alike.
Reports indicate that Bassetlaw District Council, covering Worksop, was not directly involved in arranging these private rentals, with the responsibility instead resting on Serco, the Government’s outsourced provider for asylum accommodation. However, the council concedes it may be obligated to step in if any migrants, upon being granted asylum, subsequently declare themselves homeless—a situation that has left the council uneasy.
The decision has not been met quietly. Conservative councillor Fraser McFarland condemned the move as a “shocking betrayal” of local communities, adding, “Labour’s answer is to prioritise illegal migrants while local families struggle to find housing.”
Mr Mcfarland said: “The Labour government is shoving illegal migrants into Bassetlaw homes while our own residents are left out in the cold.”
This sentiment echoes widely across the region, with one resident telling The Sun: “Local families waiting for homes aren’t getting the help they need. Now, we hear these migrants are taking priority.”
Adding to the disquiet, even new Labour MP for Bassetlaw, Jo White, acknowledged concerns among her constituents, especially for vulnerable residents placed near new asylum housing. In a note to local residents, Ms White said, “I fully appreciate how vulnerable you are all feeling and the distress this is causing.”
Officials in Bassetlaw claim the Government has provided only “very general” information on the specifics of housing arrangements, leaving councils somewhat “in the dark” about the process. Originally established under the previous Conservative government as an alternative to costly hotel accommodation, the Bibby Stockholm barge has now been abandoned by Labour, spurring a last-minute effort to house its former residents.
Meanwhile, the Home Office faces soaring demand for asylum accommodation, with The Sun reporting that nearly 30,000 migrants are currently lodged across more than 250 hotels at an eye-watering cost of £4.2 million per day.
The timing of the relocations has compounded frustrations, coming just as Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled her unpopular budget, which raised further questions over Labour’s decision to end the Conservative’s Rwanda relocation scheme when other European nations are now exploring similar options.
Reeves’s promise to reduce the reliance on asylum hotels has left many questioning whether Labour can realistically manage the escalating numbers of arrivals. So far, crossings are up 14 percent compared to this point last year.
As pressure builds, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the government’s approach, saying, “It’s going to take time, but the Government is working across all fronts to reduce these crossings.”
But the continuous stream of new arrivals underscores the mounting strain on Britain’s already stretched asylum system, leaving many wondering whether the Labour government can effectively handle the pressures in the months and years ahead.
