Ray addison. Good afternoon. One minute past midday and we start with that breaking news youve been heanng that breaking news youve been hearing in the last few moments. The first migrants have now boarded the bibby stockholm in dorset. Its not yet known dorset. Its not yet known exactly how many Asylum Seekers have moved into the controversial barge facility as the migrants arrived at the entrance to Portland Port. Demonstrators were assembled to protest against its location. Now for those of you watching on tv, this is live footage of the bibby stockholm and the gangway which the men will have used to enter the vessel. Of course, there arrival follows delays caused by health and safety concerns, including the Firefighters Union warn that the barge is a potential death trap. Safeguarding minister sarah dines told us it is justified. Despite those concerns. Despite those concerns. Tons thing like this where a large groups of migrants are congregated is never popular , congregated is never popular, which is why we have to stop the crisis in the channel. But we cant do that by having the pull factors of having Wonderful Hotels being used for Illegal Migrants whove travelled through several safe countries to get here. Lets not forget that. Well Shadow International trade secretary Nick Thomas Symonds does not agree. Thomas symonds does not agree. He told us how labour would stop the small boat arrivals. Stop the small boat arrivals. What we will be doing is driving down that asylum backlog. Well do that firstly by using. The £140 million the by using. The £140 million the is currently spent on rwanda plan, which has sent more home secretaries to rwanda than people to actually have a cross border policing unit to try and bust the model of the people smuggling gangs so that fewer people end up in the English Channel on that dangerous crossing in the first place. Meanwhile, multiple reports suggest that the government is considering plans to house people who arrive in the uk by unauthorised means on Ascension Island and the british overseas territory is located over 4000 miles away in the atlantic ocean. It currently houses two military bases and has a population of around 800 non permanent residents. The non permanent residents. The proposals are seen as a possible plan b if the governments rwanda scheme fails. Well, from rwanda scheme fails. Well, from next year, fines will triple for businesses and landlords who knowingly support Illegal Migrants coming into the country under new government plans, bosses who employ Asylum Seekers could face fines of up to £60,000 per breach. The Prime Minister also saying hes increased raids by police raids by 50 to clamp down on illegal workers , as the home office workers, as the home office warns that illegal working and renting are significant pull factors for those Channel Crossings connected devices such as Baby Monitors and Smart Speakers are increasingly being used to survey, harass and control victims of Domestic Abuse. Control victims of Domestic Abuse. Thats according to mps abuse. Thats according to mps citing data from the Charity Refuge. They warn that its likely to become even more prevalent in the future. And prevalent in the future. And theyre now urging the government to make a commitment to tackle the issue of tech abuse. New government figures show that there are on average nine connected devices in every uk household. Home owners saw uk household. Home owners saw the average value of their property fall by nearly £1,000 between june and july of this yean between june and july of this year, according to halifax , year, according to halifax, values fell by 0. 3 for around £285,000. Now this marks the fourth monthly decline in a row. Meanwhile, annually, house pnces meanwhile, annually, house prices have dropped by 2. 4. Scientists have started developing new vaccines as an insurance against future pandemics. The work is being carried out at the governments high security porton down laboratory in wiltshire. Theyve laboratory in wiltshire. Theyve drawn up a list of animal viruses which are capable of infecting humans and could potentially spread around the world. Professor Dame Jenny Harries , chief exec of the uk harries, chief exec of the uk health and security agency, says theyve learned lessons from covid, the laboratories here its 2800m2 of investment through the vaccine taskforce through the vaccine taskforce through the vaccine taskforce through the uk government during covid. And so what were trying to do now is capture that really excellent work from covid and make sure were using that as we go forward for any new pandemic threats. Threats. The uk is set to have a brand new Transatlantic Airline which promises lower fares. Now, promises lower fares. Now, Global Airlines aims to start operating between gatwick and new york by the middle of next yean new york by the middle of next year, and it will launch flights to la. The chief exec says to la. The chief exec says people are sick and tired of the way that theyre being treated by existing airlines. Hes pledging to be better with Higher Quality services. And Higher Quality services. And finally, the lionesses have secured a place in the quarterfinals of the womens world cup after a dramatic penalty shootout win over nigeria. England scored four nigeria. England scored four goals, while nigeria netted only two following the 123 minute match. Chloe kelly scored the winning goal following other successful shots from beth england and rachel daly and alex greenwood. Theyll now face greenwood. Theyll now face either jamaica or colombia in eitherjamaica or colombia in the quarterfinals on saturday. This is gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news. Now lets get back to emily and. Pip get back to emily and. Pip welcome back to the live desk. In the last few minutes, the government has confirmed the first Asylum Seekers have boarded the bibby stockholm barge in dorset. They arrived on buses within the last hour. More buses within the last hour. More are expected this week , though are expected this week, though its a little unclear as to whether the full 500 will be on board by the weekend. Yes, at the same time, theres talk of a rwanda back up plan. Migrants could reportedly be sent to the extremely remote Ascension Island, which is 4000 miles away from the uk and home to only around 800 people. Lets get some more reaction and get the latest on all of this by crossing live to portland in dorset, our Homeland Security editor mark white is there. Mark what can you tell us then about the Asylum Seekers that we understand are now on board this barge. 7 board this barge . Yeah, they arrived about an hour and a half ago, bus load , hour and a half ago, bus load, just a few of them so far theres a number of buses that will come throughout today. We believe that the Asylum Seekers have come from hotels in the bournemouth area and in total 50 will come today and then others will come today and then others will come today and then others will come over the weeks and months ahead. I can clear up one thing you were saying in the introduction there. Unclear if all 500 would be here by the weekend. Thats not going to happen. Weekend. Thats not going to happen. The Home Office Minister happen. The Home Office Minister sarah dines. I think , misspoke sarah dines. I think, misspoke or misheard when she was interviewed on this this morning talking about the final aspiration for 500. But not that they would be here by this weekend. This is always is was planned to be a process that would be over weeks and months to get up to that 500 incremental to ensure that they can get them housed and functioning within the barge safely. Remember of course, there is all of the concerns that have been raised about the fire safety guidelines within the barge and perhaps at 500 is just too much for this barge to cope with that. Previous numbers were about half that volume within the barge itself. So lets see what happens in the weeks ahead, whether the home Office Actually revise eases the number downwards. But at the moment, at least, they are still seeing that its their intention to get up to 500 people. On the bbcs stockholm, an interestingly clearly there is a drive by the government on the issue of illegal migration, those coming across in small boats and by other means. Those coming across in small boats and by other means. Weve boats and by other means. Weve had the Prime Minister, rishi sunak , putting out a tweet on sunak, putting out a tweet on social media this morning in which he was talking about five point plan to stop the boats. So remember , initially, of course, remember, initially, of course, there was the government five point pledge. Well, now there is point pledge. Well, now there is a five point pledge within a five point pledge. Lets have a listen to what he said in that social media post. First, im bringing in new laws that will mean if you come to the uk illegally, you cant stay no matter how hard you try i second, ive secured a deal with france that will help stop the boats at source before they cross the channel. Ive also negotiated a deal with albania which has already helped us bnng which has already helped us bring down crossings from there. By bring down crossings from there. By 90. Third, ive increased raids by 50 to clamp down on illegal workers. Fourth, im illegal workers. Fourth, im ending the farce of Illegal Migrants being put up in hotels by the taxpayer. The fifth. Im by the taxpayer. The fifth. Im ensuring that the only way to come to the uk for asylum will be through safe and legal routes when they get here. So dynamic video there from the Prime Minister. I think thats evidence. If evidence were needed , were pushing ever were needed, were pushing ever closer to that general election expected next year. Some time expected next year. Some time labour again also talking about this issue this morning, although now being somewhat opaque when it comes to whether they would actually still keep they would actually still keep the bibby stockholm barge and indeed the ministry of defence bases as locations to house these Asylum Seekers in large groups. Groups. Mark, i mean a lot of people watching and listening to you with your report, there will be scratching their heads and wondering how on earth it can be this difficult to get 500 males onto to a barge. I mean currently we some days we have 500 people crossing the channel in one day. How can it be this difficult . What are the obstacles is and how does this reflect on the government . Reflect on the government . Yeah, i mean , in terms of the yeah, i mean, in terms of the process that theyve been going through, clearly they purchased the bibby stockholm barge and it was taken to initially to falmouth to be refurbished. So thatis falmouth to be refurbished. So that is what was happening over a number of months to bring it up to spec to ensure that it was actually fit for accommodating twice the number of people that would normally accommodate that 500 odd and putting all of the facilities , houses, the facilities, houses, the amenities, the wrap around facilities within the barge as well. So the barge has a fully functioning restaurant in there that can house a couple of hundred people at a time. Um, theres a tv room with about eight comfy sofas. Theres a eight comfy sofas. Theres a gym, theres a computer room with a dozen desks. Theres with a dozen desks. Theres wi fi throughout the barge. Theres two recreation areas within the barge, sort of outside areas in the central portion of the barge where they can play sports or just sit about if they want. And theres about if they want. And theres another area just outside and the barge itself just on the quay side that was will be given over for recreation purposes as well. So theres plenty for the well. So theres plenty for the migrants to do when they arrive here. There was quite a bit for the home office and its contract to do in bringing it up to spec and refurbishing it to make it habitable for these Asylum Seekers and now theyre here. Of course we have the issue of what to do in terms of bringing it in up to the fire service regulations. There was the regulations. There was the concern about 500 being on the fact that the corridors are relatively narrow within the barge as well. So that is still an ongoing issue. But at least theyve got the first few on board. Just want to ask you, mark, because you did have this this full guided tour. And we know that the critics are saying its inhumane. Would you stay on the barge a few days . Barge for a few days . I mean, if i had to , it i mean, if i had to, it certainly wouldnt be an issue to do that. I think its just a nonsense to claim that the conditions are inhumane. They are clearly not the cabins. I would say , are similar to the would say, are similar to the kind of standard of cabin you would get in a sort of standard class cabin on a cruise ship. There theres two bunk beds in there. But theyre still reasonably roomy. They all have en suite bathrooms. And theres en suite bathrooms. And theres also facilities for storing their personal belongings and clothing. Theres a desk, clothing. Theres a desk, theres a television in thats in all of the cabins as well. In all of the cabins as well. Okay. That is not akin to prison accommodation in. Okay. Mark, youve sold it very well, though. Plenty of people would disagree. Thank you for that. Well come back to you for that. Well come back to you very soon. Again. Now lets go to our south west of england. Reporter jeff moody, whos also in portland. Jeff, just explain where you are and the reaction that you are getting so far from locals. Locals. Well, im out at the gates of Portland Port where about an hour ago, the first of the buses arrived. We werent sure that arrived. We werent sure that there was anybody actually on that bus at the time. We looked at the one the side that i could see. There wasnt a single soul, but were now hearing that there were some Asylum Seekers on it. Were some Asylum Seekers on it. Everybody is looking at it. I dont know whether sas can show you, but people are looking out of their windows, waving and watching whats going on there is everybody sort of looking out of their doors, observing whats happening up here. Weve got the stand up to racism group that are welcoming the Asylum Seekers. Theres a trolley there full of flowers. Theyre giving full of flowers. Theyre giving them flowers and all of the signs that say refugees welcome care for refugees and care for portland. To the other side in portland. To the other side in this debate, these are the ones that have been providing the welcome packs for people. The other side of the debate, the no to the barge brigade. Theyve chosen to stay away this morning. Theyve chosen, they believe that it wouldnt be appropriate for them to come down here and protest. Now theyre beef, they say is with dorset council. Their beef is with the home office. And their beef in office. And their beef in particular is with Portland Port that they opened without any form of consult nation. Theyre very clear that their beef is not with the Asylum Seekers themselves and they feel it would be inappropriate to have a big demonstration. Now theyre prepared to step aside if you wish to let the people that are welcoming them here have their say so at least that it gets off to a good note. So as i said, we had one lot about an hour ago, we are expecting another busload any second now. Theres all sorts of reports going around as to when that will arrive. Theres a news helicopter thats been circling overhead for quite some. Um, weve heard a some time. Um, weve heard a source that says that the that at the moment its in weymouth and weymouth is about five ten minutes away. So it should be imminent. You never know. Imminent. But you never know. Theres people from all sorts of windows looking out and reporting to each other on social media theyve seen a social media that theyve seen a bus here, there and bus from here, there and everywhere. Moment we everywhere. So at the moment we dont particularly which dont particularly know which one the on one will have the migrants on board, you know as board, but well let you know as soon we do. Soon as we do. Thank you very much indeed. Jeff moody who is in jeff moody there, who is in portland on local portland reporting on local opposition really to this barge. And interesting and its quite interesting because saying because youve had people saying that barge totally that this barge is totally inhumane and that its not fit for Asylum Seekers , that its a for Asylum Seekers, that its a prison on water, that it could be grenfell on sea and then of course, you have others who dont want it there for very different reasons. So its well see what happens and what were going to end. Is it. No. And what well also be talking about is plan b if this rwanda scheme doesnt work, the government loses in the Supreme Court, there are plans potentially to send people 4000 miles away to a Ascension Island , altho