Barge asylum seekers will not be housed Dorset Council area

The authority issued a brief statement today in a bid to clarify the situation amid local speculation.

The statement issued, most unusually on a Sunday, comes hours ahead of an anti-immigrant 'enough is enough' protest due to take place on Weymouth seafront.

The demo comes after a week of unrest across the UK following the Southport stabbings. 

The Home Office announced last month it will not renew the contract for the barge - which is being used to house asylum seekers at Portland Port while their claims are processed - when it ends in January. 

The announcement raised questions over the future of the asylum seekers still living on the barge.

Last week the Home Office told the Echo in response to questions that clearing the backlog and reducing the number of people on the barge was the "priority".

A spokesperson said that if the barge still has occupants remaining, that some people may be relocated to hotels in Dorset.

Dorset Council has now said this is not the case.

It said: "Following the announcement that the contract for the Bibby Stockholm will not be renewed in January, we’ve had confirmation from the Home Office that none of the asylum seekers currently housed there will be moved to Portland, Weymouth or the wider Dorset Council area."