BARGES and disused military bases could be used by a Labour government to house asylum seekers while the backlog in cases is being cleared, the shadow home secretary has indicated.
Yvette Cooper on Monday declined to commit to scrapping the Tory Government policy, which has been condemned by refugee groups, if her party seizes power at the next general election.
Professor Alison Phipps, Unesco chair for refugee integration at the University of Glasgow, said using this type of accommodation "is taking the U.K. back light years on its international and human rights obligations".
READ MORE: Anas Sarwar in unbelievable excuse for Labour's two-child benefit U-turn
Instead, Cooper said Labour would work to “rapidly clear” the decisions backlog that has spiralled under the Tory Government before reverting to traditional asylum accommodation.
Cooper’s comments came as the Bibby Stockholm barge resumed its delayed journey to Portland Port, in Dorset, where it will house around 500 asylum seekers.
She made it clear she thinks the Government’s “failure” to deal with the asylum system may be further “increasing the backlog”, which hit a record high of more than 172,000 cases.
After a speech in central London, she was pressed by reporters on if she would immediately end the use of barges and military bases to hold migrants, Cooper said: “We will take action to clear the backlog.
“We’ll have to address what we inherit at that time because at the moment it is so chaotic what the Government is doing.”
She added: “What we want to see is the backlog cleared so that the Government doesn’t need to use the hotels or other alternatives and we can simply focus on the long-standing asylum accommodation that has always been there.”
Bibby Stockholm was a month behind schedule as it left Falmouth, Cornwall, where it was undergoing work to house migrants in Dorset, despite local opposition.
The use of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire and the Wethersfield base in Essex also face legal action.
READ MORE: Kirsty Strickland: Unionist straw clutching is as desperate as ever
Later on Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman will come under further pressure to change their plans to “stop the boats”.
MPs will be considering amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill proposed by the House of Lords to limit the detention of children and add modern slavery protections.
Peers have inflicted a string of defeats on the much-criticised legislation during a parliamentary “ping-pong” tussle over the Bill until an agreement is reached.
Phipps (pictured above) said: "Any political party contemplating any change which uses this kind of accommodation is taking the U.K. back light years on its international and human rights obligations.
"Every single piece of research demonstrates that integration as a holistic process needs people to live in communities not camps or barracks or with curtailed movement.
"Seeking asylum is a human right. The country manifestly needs a clear, universal social housing policy."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel