A barge designated to accommodate 500 asylum seekers has arrived at a port on England's southern coast following the House of Lords' approval of the government's small boats and

migration bill. The Bibby Stockholm, pulled by a tug, docked at Portland port in Dorset on Tuesday morning. However, the barge's arrival coincided with criticism of the Conservative frontbench's victory in blocking five additional amendments to the bill proposed by peers, including measures for modern slavery protections and limits on child detention.

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, a vocal opponent of the bill, withdrew his request for a statement on addressing the refugee crisis and human trafficking in the UK after a similar proposal was rejected by MPs. The resolution of the standoff between peers and MPs, known as ping-pong, clears the path for the bill to receive royal assent.

These laws are integral to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's strategy to deter individuals from crossing the English Channel. They will prevent individuals from seeking asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorized means. The government also hopes these changes will facilitate the swift removal of detained individuals, either to their home country or a third country like Rwanda, despite ongoing legal challenges.

Charities and campaign groups denounced the passage of the bill as a "dark day." Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, expressed concern about the bill's impracticality and predicted significant human suffering and financial burden for taxpayers. Naomi Smith, CEO of the internationalist campaign group Best for Britain, criticized the bill for enabling the mistreatment of refugees and flouting international law.

Jenny Jones, a Green party peer who attempted unsuccessfully to block the bill, described it as "unworkable, shameful, and embarrassing for Britain" during an interview on LBC radio. Labour's turnout on the issue was deemed lackluster, while the Liberal Democrats fared relatively better.

The bill faced strong opposition in the House of Lords, accused of undermining the government's plans, and the government faced allegations of seeking retribution against the peers for challenging their proposals. Ministers implored the Lords to allow the bill to become law, signaling no further concessions and emphasizing that MPs had already overturned multiple amendments previously made by the upper chamber.

Lord Murray of Blidworth, the Home Office minister, argued that the high number of small boat arrivals had overwhelmed the UK's asylum system, costing taxpayers £6 million per day to provide accommodation. He contended that by eliminating the possibility of staying in the UK, people would be deterred from risking their lives and paying criminals to enter illegally. He urged the Lords to respect the will of the elected House and the British people by passing the bill.

Although acknowledging the need to curb small boat crossings, Archbishop Welby expressed skepticism about the bill's effectiveness and emphasized the importance of establishing a national consensus on the long-term goals of migration and immigration policies.

Meanwhile, as the parliamentary debate unfolded, a barge intended to house 500 migrants made its way to Portland Port in Dorset. The Bibby Stockholm, which had undergone preparations in Falmouth, Cornwall, departed a month later than planned. The decision to utilize barges for migrant accommodation was defended by Downing Street, citing cost-effectiveness compared to housing them in hotels. However, a recent report suggested that the savings amounted to less than £10 per person per day. The first asylum seekers are expected to board the Bibby Stockholm later this month. Photo by pl:Wikipedysta:MaciejKa, Wikimedia commons.