Two more barges will be used to house asylum seekers as part of continued efforts to reduce Channel crossings, Rishi Sunak has announced.

The prime minister declined to say where they will be moored, but said they will be used to house an extra one thousand migrants who enter the UK illegally.

The government has already acquired one ship, the Bibby Stockholm, which will be used to provide accommodation for around 500 male asylum seekers.

Speaking at a news conference in Kent, Mr Sunak said this will dock in Portland, Dorset within a fortnight and two more had been secured.

“To reduce pressures on local communities we will also house people on ships. The first will arrive in Portland in the next fortnight and we’ve secured another two today,” he said.

On top of this measure, Mr Sunak said thousands of extra spaces for migrants have been found in hotels by making people share rooms.

The prime minister, who has faced criticism from charities over his policies on migration, insisted this was “more than fair”.

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He said: “If you’re coming here illegally claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution, then you should be willing to share a taxpayer funded hotel room in central London.”

Mr Sunak insisted his “stop the boats plan” is “starting to work”, with the numbers making the Channel crossing down by around a fifth since last year.

He said the returns deal with Albania had led to 1,800 people being sent back, and was having a deterrent effect.

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