PLANS for a giant cruise ship to house asylum seekers near Liverpool have been scrapped after being declined by port officials, according to Sky News.

A government source has told Sky News the vessel was due to house 500 men seeking asylum in Birkenhead, but that will no longer happen following objections from Peel Ports.

The ship would have been a new, seventh site acquired by the Home Office under controversial plans to start transferring migrants from hotels in a bid to crack down on illegal immigration.

Reacting to the news, Wirral South MP, Alison McGovern, tweeted: "Good. And we need action to clear the backlog, proper support for refugees, and for the Home Office to work with local authorities, not against them."

Wirral MPs had condemned Home Office plans to house refugees on a vessel on the River Mersey as “inhumane and unworkable”.

In a joint statement, Mick Whitley, Angela Eagle, and Margaret Greenwood said: “we owe a duty of care towards those who come to the UK fleeing conflict and persecution. Instead, this government is abandoning its responsibilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people claiming asylum in the UK. Government policy is now being driven by a sense of wanton cruelty without any intention of trying to secure positive outcomes for those involved.” 

 

The rejection comes after it emerged permission to berth a barge housing asylum seekers at an east London docks was also refused.

London’s Royal Docks said it had informed the Home Office last month that water beside City Airport would not be appropriate as a potential location to moor one of its floating accommodation vessels for refugees.

The use of barges is part of Government efforts to deter migrants from embarking on dangerous Channel crossings in small boats and to reduce the amount spent on hotels for those arriving in Britain via unlawful routes.

Labour Mayor of London Mr Khan had set out his objections publicly to the suggestion a location in the capital could be chosen for such a vessel.

He has since written to Home Secretary Suella Braverman to express his support for the Royal Docks’ decision to deny permission for a barge.

“I am writing to you following the recent decision by the Royal Docks Management Authority to reject the use of King George V Dock as a berth to accommodate people seeking asylum,” he told the Cabinet minister in a letter seen by the PA news agency.

“I wish first to put on record my support for this decision and secondly to outline my absolute opposition to the Government’s policy of housing asylum seekers on vessels.”

Scott Derben, managing director of London’s Royal Docks, told PA: “London’s Royal Docks were approached by the Home Office to look at the feasibility of berthing a cruise ship to house asylum seekers.

“After investigation, it was concluded that this would not be an appropriate use for the Royal Docks."

The Globe has approached Peel Ports for comment.