New 2025 record as nearly 1,200 migrants reach UK in small boats in one day

Defence Secretary says scenes of hundreds boarding boats are ‘pretty shocking’

Nearly 1,200 migrants arrived in the UK on Saturday, crossing the English Channel from France in small boats, new government figures have revealed.

The Home Office confirmed that 1,194 migrants made the journey in 18 boats, capitalising on settled weather conditions.

This marks the highest number recorded on a single day this year, bringing the provisional annual total to 14,811.

The figure is 42 per cent higher than at the same point last year, increasing pressure on the Labour government, which came to power a year ago partly due to public dissatisfaction with the previous Conservative administration's attempts to control the crossings.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised to tackle the issue by dismantling the criminal gangs facilitating the crossings.

This comes after his government abandoned the Conservative plan to send migrants arriving in the UK through unauthorised channels to Rwanda.

French authorities escort people thought to be migrants onboard a small boat leaving France (PA Wire)

Since gaining power, Sir Keir's government has sought better intelligence-sharing internationally, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and has adopted tougher rules in its immigration legislation.

French police officers were seen watching on Saturday as migrants boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk.

Authorities were then pictured escorting the boats.

French authorities said they rescued 184 people.

"Pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday," Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky News.

He added that it is a "really big problem" that French police are unable to intervene to intercept boats in shallow waters, adding that the UK is pressing for the French to put new rules into operation so they can intervene.

People thought to be migrants wade through the sea at Gravelines awaiting a boat (PA Wire)

"They're not doing it, but, but for the first time for years – we've got the level of cooperation needed," he told Sky News.

"We've got the agreement that they will change the way they work, and our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore."

Despite French and UK efforts, the cross-Channel route, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, remains a major smuggling corridor for people fleeing conflict or poverty.

Many migrants favour the UK for reasons of language, family ties or perceived easier access to asylum and work.

The Home Office says 36,816 people arrived in the UK on small boats in 2024, 25 per cent more than in 2023 (29,437).

The highest number of arrivals was in 2022, with 45,774.