The UK’s new Labour government has announced it will discontinue the use of the contentious Bibby Stockholm barge, which has been housing migrants off the

southern coast of England, as part of a broader overhaul of the country's asylum system.

The barge, capable of accommodating up to 500 men, was introduced by the previous Conservative administration to reduce the £8 million daily cost of hotel accommodations for asylum seekers awaiting the processing of their claims.

The Bibby Stockholm, docked off Dorset, became a focal point of criticism against the Conservative government's stringent asylum policies. Human rights groups condemned its use, likening it to a prison ship and decrying the conditions as inhumane. The controversy intensified following the death of one man aboard last year and a subsequent water contamination issue that temporarily halted its use.

The Home Office stated that the barge's operation would cease upon the contract's expiration in January.

This decision is part of Labour's initiative to reform the asylum system by restarting the processing of claims for the tens of thousands of migrants who, under previous policies, were left in uncertainty and faced the threat of deportation. Additionally, the Labour government has terminated the Conservative scheme to deport migrants who arrived illegally in the UK on small boats to Rwanda.

"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," said Angela Eagle, Minister for Border Security and Asylum.

The Home Office indicated that extending the barge’s use would have cost over £20 million ($26 million) next year.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the comprehensive changes to the asylum system are projected to save taxpayers an estimated £7 billion over the next decade. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wikimedia commons.