Bosses at a Dorset port have said its support for controversial Government plans to accommodate hundreds of asylum seekers on a barge could help create jobs and boost the local economy.
Portland Port will provide berthing space for the vessel, named the Bibby Stockholm, for at least 18 months. The Home Office has confirmed it is looking to house 500 single men on the three-storey, 222-room boat, while their asylum claims are processed. The Government has said the measure is part of its efforts to cut the cost to the taxpayer caused by people attempting to arrive in the UK by crossing the Channel.
The plans have drawn criticism from local people, human rights groups, the Tory-led Dorset Council and local Conservative MPs, who have questioned the suitability of the site for housing asylum seekers.
