Rishi Sunak vows to use ‘as many barges as it takes’ to house asylum seekers

PM fires back at Archbishop of Canterbury, as cabinet minister admits pledges are ‘difficult’ to meet

Rishi Sunak has vowed to secure “as many barges as it takes” to house asylum seekers as the prime minister pushed back against criticism from Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

It comes as Grant Shapps, the energy secretary, admitted that delivering on Mr Sunak’s five big pledges – including the promise to stop the boats – will be “difficult”.

Mr Welby raised eyebrows by attacking the Illegal Migration Bill as “morally unacceptable” last week, as the Bibby Stockholm barge set to accommodate 500 small boat migrants arrived in the UK.