Bibby Stockholm will close in January, Home Office says
The Bibby Stockholm barge will stop being used to house asylum seekers as Labour reverses a swathe of the Tories' so called tough measures.
The Home Office has confirmed that the vessel moored off the Dorset coast will not be used as accommodation from January.
The government said extending the contract would have cost over £20million next year.
The news comes after Yvette Cooper announced an effective amnesty on tens of thousands of Channel migrants, who had previously been blocked from seeking asylum.
She insisted that the policy was not working as the migrants were merely being kept in limbo in hotels at taxpayer expense.
Security and Asylum minister Angela 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 Home Office said its focus was now on clearing the asylum backlog and removing those with no right to stay in the country.