Britain has ordered two more accommodation barges to house asylum-seekers, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Monday.

Sunak has pledged to stop crossings of the Channel from northern Europe made in small boats, after record numbers of people arrived last year.

But huge backlogs in the processing of applications have put the government under pressure, particularly over housing people while their claims are dealt with.

On a visit to the Channel port of Dover, Sunak announced new sites at former Royal Air Force bases to accommodate “hundreds” in the coming months.

“Nearly 3,000” will be housed there by the end of the year, he added, arguing it would ease pressure on costly hotels where many migrants have been staying.