The UK Labour Party is considering using military barracks to temporarily house asylum seekers in an attempt to cope with the surge in migrants and public discontent over the use of hotels. Around 1,000 migrants arrived on British shores last Saturday alone, significantly increasing pressure on the asylum system. Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky News that the government was looking at a number of options, including the use of military and non-military bases, in a bid to boost public confidence in the country’s ability to control its borders. He said the measures were part of a new strategy to manage illegal immigration.
The development comes after criticism of the use of hotels as accommodation centres and the closure of the Bibby Stockholm, while the previous government abandoned a much-debated plan to transfer migrants to Rwanda.
At the same time, Zia Yusuf of the Reform UK party has proposed the construction of 15 to 25 modular steel detention centres, similar to those used in the US during the Trump administration, describing them as more efficient and a deterrent to illegal crossings.
Recent cabinet changes in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also saw the appointment of Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary, who now takes over the sensitive immigration issue, replacing Yvette Cooper.
Despite a temporary drop in arrivals at the end of August, the figures for 2025 have reached 29,003 migrants, the highest level ever for this period. According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), significant successes have been achieved in disrupting criminal people trafficking networks, but challenges remain.
However, the Conservative government's experience of previously using military bases to house asylum seekers was met with criticism of poor living conditions and local protests, raising questions about the effectiveness and acceptability of this new measure by Labour.
