Bibby Stockholm migrants claim 'hope has returned' after Starmer axes barge

“I am excited about the future as I hope that I will be granted asylum so I can work in cybersecurity.”

He added: “It was so sad and terrible to see the people who had been here longer and how it was getting them down.

“But on Tuesday we had the meeting and were told that the Bibby was closing and they would speed up our interviews.”

The migrant, known as Smith, arrived in the UK in July 2023.

He was born and raised in Saudi Arabia but fears he would be deported to Yemen.

The 26-year-old completed a cybersecurity master's degree in Malaysia and ended up on the Bibby Stockholm in April.

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Smith’s excitement comes as Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle claimed it would no longer be necessary to keep the barge open because of reduced demand due to efforts to clear the asylum backlog.

Eagle said: “We are determined to restore order to the asylum system, so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly; and ensures the rules are properly enforced.

“The Home Secretary has set out plans to start clearing the asylum backlog and making savings on accommodation which is running up vast bills for the taxpayer.

“The Bibby Stockholm will continue to be in use until the contract expires in January 2025.”

The Prime Minister’s spokesman added: “We've made clear that the barge will continue to be used until the end of the contract in January 2025, but our intention is to clear the backlog and reduce the huge costs we're currently spending on asylum accommodation.”

Downing Street was also unable to rule out the option of moving migrants from the Bibby Stockholm into hotels.

The Home Office also announced that the three-story vessel will be empty by January.

However, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman accused Labour of signalling Britain is “open for illegal migrants” and “flashing the green light to the people smugglers”.