Nigel Farage issues dire warning over Dorset migrant barge - 'Recipe for disaster!
Nigel Farage has issued a grave warning over an accommodation barge which is set to house 500 migrants off the Dorset coast.
The Bibby Stockholm was met by protesters as it arrived into Portland Port on Tuesday morning.
Its arrival followed a night of drama in which the Tory frontbencher saw off changes being sought by peers to the Illegal Migration Bill, including modern slavery protections and child detention limits.
Speaking on GB News, Nigel Farage said the measure offers no solution to the migrant crisis facing Britain.
“That barge is going to cost £20,000 a day, which in itself is pretty shocking”, he told Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster.
“I think the biggest concern for the people of Weymouth, which is a seaside holiday town relying on these few weeks of the year to make its money.
“You’re going to have these 500 young men together in cramped conditions. There will be disputes, arguments and difficulties.
“The thought of these people walking through this town is a recipe for disaster. I think the people of Weymouth will get very voluble and very angry.
The 93-metre-long Bibby Stockholm will come under Home Office controlBibby Marine“It doesn’t really matter whether it’s RAF Scampton or a hotel in a town near you, the vast majority of people view this as unacceptable.”
Rishi Sunak is endeavouring to deter people from making hazardous Channel crossings, but faces a stand-off with the Lords.
He is hopeful of introducing measures that will prevent people from claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means.
The Bill encountered fierce opposition in the unelected chamber, which was accused of trying to “drive a coach and horses” through the plans.
Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth said the number of small boat arrivals had “overwhelmed” the UK’s asylum system and was costing taxpayers £6 million a day to provide accommodation.
He told peers: “With over 45,000 people making dangerous Channel crossings last year this is simply no longer sustainable.
“If people know there is no way for them to stay in the UK, they won’t risk their lives and pay criminals thousands of pounds to arrive here illegally.
“It is therefore only right that we stop the boats and break the business model of the criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people, ultimately enabling the Government to have greater capacity to provide a safe haven for those at risk of war and persecution.”
Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, led national and international outrage at the Bill and said: “For decades, the UK has provided refuge to those in need, in line with its international obligations – a tradition of which it has been rightly proud.
“This new legislation significantly erodes the legal framework that has protected so many, exposing refugees to grave risks in breach of international law.”