However, local politicians in Dorset say they are considering legal action to stop the “inappropriate” plan to house the migrants in a busy tourist area that hosts cruise ships.
“What are the conditions going to be like in a barge with 506 young men from all over the world — some possibly disturbed mentally — cooped up in a quasi-prison?” MP Richard Drax asked the Telegraph.
The Dorset Council said it had “serious reservations about the appropriateness of Portland Port in this scenario and remains opposed to the proposals.”