UK migrant crossings hit yearly high as pressure mounts on Labour government

Published on 02/06/2025 - 11:23 GMT+2

Nearly 1,200 migrants crossed nan English Channel successful mini boats from France connected Saturday — nan highest regular full truthful acold this year, according to UK authorities figures.

The Home Office reported that 1,194 group arrived successful 18 vessels during favourable upwind conditions, bringing nan provisional number of arrivals to 14,811, a 42% summation compared to nan aforesaid play past year.

The emergence has accrued governmental unit connected Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, which took agency astir a twelvemonth agone amid increasing nationalist dissatisfaction pinch nan erstwhile Conservative administration.

Despite promising to do so, nan past authorities grounded to trim nan number of Channel crossings.

Since assuming power, Labour scrapped nan Conservatives’ arguable Rwanda deportation scheme, alternatively pledging to tackle nan mini boats rumor by dismantling nan group smuggling networks fuelling forbidden migration.

Starmer's authorities has prioritised world intelligence practice and tightened migration rules.

Despite associated efforts by some nan British and French governments, nan English Channel remains a salient way for group fleeing warfare aliases poverty. 

Many migrants take nan UK owed to linguistic ties, existing family connections aliases perceptions of easier asylum procedures and employment access.

Footage taken connected Saturday showed French constabulary watching arsenic migrants launched boats from Gravelines, situated betwixt Calais and Dunkirk, earlier escorting them retired to sea. 

French authorities confirmed they rescued 184 individuals.

Defence Secretary John Healey told British media nan scenes were “pretty shocking,” and described nan inability of French officers to intervene successful shallow waters arsenic a “really large problem".

“They’re not doing it, but, but for nan first clip for years…we’ve sewage nan level of practice needed," he added.

According to nan British Home Office, 36,816 individuals crossed nan Channel successful mini boats during 2024, marking a 25% emergence connected nan erstwhile year. The highest twelvemonth remains 2022, erstwhile 45,774 group arrived via nan route.