Over 50,000 small boat migrants cross Channel under Labour as Starmer fails to get a grip on crisis
Small boat milestone reached faster under Starmer than any other PM
- Over 50,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since Labour assumed power, reaching this milestone in 403 days, the quickest timeframe under any prime minister.
- Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith described the number of crossings as "unacceptable" and a "very big challenge", attributing the issue to criminal gangs enabled by the previous Tory government.
- Labour has implemented a new "one in, one out" returns deal with France and a scheme to detain and deport small boat migrants, with some due for return within weeks.
- Charities, including the Refugee Council, urge the government to expand safe and legal routes to the UK, arguing that individuals undertake perilous crossings out of desperation.
- Experts suggest that small boat arrivals are on an upward trend, potentially leading to record numbers in 2025, and that efforts to disrupt smuggling gangs may not be fully effective due to their adaptability.