Migrant crisis Task Force ‘to consider moving migrants from hotels to Army barracks’

A task force will reportedly consider strategies including housing asylum seekers in Army barracks rather than hotels as the Government faces criticism over the migrant crisis.

The Times on Sunday reported Boris Johnson had drafted in Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay to oversee the issue of the rising number of migrants arriving on Britain’s shores.

On Monday, the Daily Telegraph said Mr Barclay would chair the first meeting of the group early this week after hundreds of people, including very young children, made the dangerous Channel crossing to the UK over the weekend.

The initiative will consider the accommodation idea, the possibility of cutting benefits, if return agreements can be strengthened as well as “offshoring” to third countries while claims are processed, the paper said.

More than 24,700 people have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the Channel crossing in small boats – almost three times the number there were in 2020.

Labour have accused Home Secretary Priti Patel of “comprehensively failing” to stem the flow.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said on Sunday that, at the current rate, more migrants will be travelling to Britain via the English Channel than there are voters in the Ms Patel’s constituency if the Government does not act.

The Health Secretary has claimed the coronavirus pandemic has made it more difficult to send failed asylum seekers back to the countries from which they came.