SOME of the illegal migrants ordered back onto the Bibby Stockholm have now said they can stay with their mates instead – after months in taxpayer-funded hotels.
Not everyone in the initial tranche of people who went onto the barge in August will return to the Portland-based vessel on Thursday.
NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERSPeople load food supplies onto the Bibby Stockholm ahead of migrants moving back on this week[/caption]
Several have made last-minute arrangements to bunk with friends and family living in Britain, according to insiders.
It will likely spark incredulity that until now they have taken hotel accommodation, which is costing the government £8million each day.
An immigration enforcement source last night told the Sun: “It just shows what these migrants are up to – ‘give me a hotel and meals for free on the taxpayer’ until they realise it’s going to be a barge and then they’ve got a mate who can put them up.”
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A legionella scare onboard the Bibby Stockholm in the summer forced the Home Office to move all 39 migrants off and into hotels.
After two months of checks, asylum seekers are set to go back on board the 500-bed vessel as early as today.
Fresh food was seen going onto the barge this week in anticipation of migrants re-embarking.
Downing Street last night reaffirmed its commitment to the plan to house asylum seekers on barges to wrestle down the eye-watering hotel bill.
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Illegal migrants are allowed to live where they like as long as they do not abscond during their asylum process.
New powers – yet to be used – will give the Home Secretary the right to detain and remove them to a third country like Rwanda.
Tory MP Marco Longhi last night said: “Illegal immigrants should not have a choice of where to stay. By coming to the country illegally they have committed a crime and should be detained.”
Suella Braverman recently won a High Court battle from a local councillor challenging the lawfulness of the barge.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government is committed to ending the use of expensive hotels for asylum seekers.
“We do not routinely comment on individual cases.”
Rishi Sunak yesterday faced fury from his own side for the small boats crisis, with a Tory MP demanding “enough is enough”.
Hartlepool’s Jill Mortimer said at PMQs: “Every week my office is besieged by asylum seekers, my staff are intimidated by young men.
“The fact is most of them are illegal migrants who should be expelled… Will the Prime Minister take action? Will he make sure enforcement is delivered? Will he ensure that people who have no right to be here are expelled?”
The PM said: “I would like to reassure her that this government is doing everything we can to tackle illegal migration and the harm it causes by removing those with no right to be here in the UK.”
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