Small boats and engines used to cross the Channel by people thought to be migrants (Gareth Fuller/PA)But Ms Braverman is working on contingency plans to erect the tents in the coming weeks with a surge of boats expected. The Times, which first reported the tent purchases, cited Government sources saying a similar proposal was rejected last year because of warnings it would trigger legal challenges based on inhumane treatment of asylum seekers. A Government source confirmed details of the first arrivals at the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset, and numbers are due to rise gradually over coming months. A month behind schedule after undergoing repairs, Bibby Stockholm was met by protesters as it arrived in Portland Port on Tuesday last week. A Home Office spokeswoman said: “The Bibby Stockholm has completed a statutory inspection and refurbishment and is now berthing in Portland.

Source: The Times July 27, 2023 22:33 UTC