Campaigners call for plans to house migrants on Bibby Stockholm to be scrapped

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Campaigners are calling for plans to house 500 migrants on the Bibby Stockholm to be scrapped.

The vessel, currently in Falmouth is expected to be moved into position at Portland in the next few weeks.

The barge is part of a series of schemes from the UK Government aimed at moving asylum seekers away from costly hotel accommodation.

The company which owns the barge - Bibby Marine- has come under fire - with an open letter penned by refugee charities calling on them to stop their plans.

Tigs Louis-Puttick from Reclaim The Sea told ITV News West Country: "The idea of putting people who likely have got a history of a traumatic journey at sea onto a floating prison ship, if it wasn't reality, it would be dark humour but it's not, its reality".

She said it's "really really evil" to "put people back on to the water when they have a history of trauma."

Martine Summers is a local resident and said it will put undue pressure on services: "The National Health Service is very limited here, we have one doctor's surgery, we have no dentists whatsoever, two pharmacies and at any given time there's always a queue outside the pharmacy to get medication."

Kate Robson, a campaigner, added: "We should not be incarcerating people who are trying to find a better life, but also we should not be putting them in an area that can't support them and can't even support their own people.

"We are a small tourist town, it almost feels like we're far enough away from Westminster not to worry about it."

A look inside the lounge of the Bibby Stockholm. Credit: PA

Campaigners on Portland are also concerned about the conditions on the barge as well as the impact an influx of people will have on local services.

The open letter to Bibby Marine is also calling on the company to acknowledge its links to the slave trade.

In response, a spokesperson for Bibby Marine said they have been offering floating accommodation for nearly 50 years and have said the barges are a cost effective flexible solution for a variety of accommodation needs.

It added those staying on the Bibby Stockholm will be provided with a quality comfortable and safe place to stay.

ITV West Country understands the barge is likely to arrive in mid July - those opposed to the plans, who are holding a protest this weekend, say though it's not too late.