More than 50,000 migrants cross Channel under Labour government in record timeframe

The number of people who have crossed the Channel in small boats since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister has exceeded 50,000, reaching the milestone in just 403 days, the fastest timeframe under any prime minister to date

Official Home Office data published yesterday showed 474 people arrived in eight small boats, marking the highest single-day total for August and bringing the cumulative figure under Labour to 50,271 migrants. The previous record pace was achieved under former Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak in 603 days.

Education Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith acknowledged the crossings figure as “unacceptable” during parliamentary questioning, while defending the government’s approach to tackling organised trafficking networks. The milestone comes despite Labour’s election pledge to “smash the gangs” responsible for small boat crossings.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that France is reviewing its small boat policing tactics as part of ongoing efforts to address the crisis. The government has implemented a new “one in, one out” returns arrangement with France, beginning last Friday, which allows people to apply for UK entry from France while enabling deportations of recent arrivals.

Migration Observatory researcher Dr Mihnea Cuibus noted that small boat arrivals have followed an upward trend since autumn 2024, with approximately 46,000 people arriving over the past 12 months, approaching record levels last seen in 2022. Current trajectory analysis suggests 2025 could witness record-breaking annual totals.

The government has allocated an additional £100 million to enhance National Crime Agency operations and fund interventions across transit countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Ministers have also pledged to deport more foreign criminals before appeals can be heard.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has suggested replacing hotel accommodation with “camps” for asylum seekers, arguing that rules from previous decades are inadequate for current challenges. The proposal reflects ongoing political pressure on migration policy across party lines.

Smuggling operations have become increasingly sophisticated and efficient, utilizing progressively larger and more crowded boats to maximize capacity. The UK’s post-Brexit loss of access to EU asylum databases has complicated efforts to return people to their first EU arrival countries.

Dr Cuibus emphasized that while prosecuting trafficking networks through “smashing the gangs” approaches might reduce individual operations, the highly adaptable and decentralized nature of smuggling organizations means captured operatives can be “relatively easily replaced by others”.

The government continues operating the controversial former RAF Wethersfield site for asylum seeker accommodation despite documented safety concerns, including over 400 recorded incidents last year involving self-harm and suicide attempts.