Damning Home Office statistics show that nearly 50,000 people have crossed the English Channel on small boats since Labour’s election victory. The figures bring an unwanted record for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will surpass the milestone after just 401 days.
His predecessors, Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson, did not reach the threshold until 603 and 1,066 days, respectively, into their premierships. The shocking figures put increasing pressure on the Government to follow through on its policy of “smash the gangs”. The shocking figure is equal to one migrant arriving in the UK about every 11 minutes under Labour. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, writing for the Daily Express, said: “Express readers deserve so much better than this useless Prime Minister.
“Starmer talked the talk about ‘smash the gangs’ but they’re smashing him. In the face. Day after day. The gangs are safely going about their business, knowing they’ll almost certainly not be caught or prosecuted.
“The truth is the situation in the Channel is nothing short of scandalous. The record levels of crossings are causing incalculable levels of harm to the country.
“These migrants transform the character of our communities. Nobody wants to live in areas with illegal migrants from backwards cultures in the parks and outside the school gates. Nor do they want their hard-earned money being spent on illegal migrants when ordinary Brits are struggling.”
Some 281 people were detected in five boats on Sunday, following 435 arrivals in seven dinghies on Saturday, bringing the total since Starmer took office to 49,797. It is understood that around 400 people on “five or six” boats are believed to have crossed the Channel on Monday.
A record number of migrants have crossed the Channel for five consecutive months, highlighting how smugglers are exploiting Britain’s lax borders.
Analysis of Home Office figures shows 4,586 people were detected in March, a 44% increase on the previous high of 3,180 in 2024.
The statistics are likely to add further pressure to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who recently signed a deal with her French counterpart aimed at reducing the incentives and ability of those hoping to reach the UK from France.
Under the one-in, one-out deal, the UK will take asylum seekers approved under a new safe and legal route. And France will take back failed asylum seekers.
But fears are intensifying that the deal will fail to act as a deterrent because migrants can still lodge human rights claims to delay deportations.
