More than 50,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister, according to new figures.
Home Office statistics reveal that 474 people arrived on Monday in eight vessels – the highest number to make the journey in one day in August.
It brings the total to 50,271 since the general election on 4 July 2024 and means Sir Keir – who won power promising to “smash the gangs” facilitating the crossings – has reached the 50,000 milestone in 402 days, the fastest of any recent prime minister.
His successor Rishi Sunak was in office for 603 days when he hit the unwanted tally.
It took some 1,066 days under Boris Johnson, though it’s worth remembering his tenure covered the COVID pandemic and lockdowns.
Migrants who arrive by small boat from France can now be detained and returned under a new “one in, one out deal” that came into force last week.
The government hopes it will act as a deterrent amid a record number of Channel crossings under Labour, but critics say it won’t make a difference as only a small fraction of people will ultimately be deported.
Nearly 20,000 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK in the first six months of this year, a rise of almost 50% on the number crossing in 2024 and a new record for the first half of a year.
The average number of migrants to cross the Channel per day under Sir Keir is 125.
Reports have suggested the French scheme will return 50 people a week, though the government has only said that it will start off small and expand.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp, who went to see the returns deal “in action” last week, said it was “onbious” it will not act as a deterrent.
He wrote on X: “Within half an hour of arriving off the French coast, I watched two packed dinghies being escorted into UK waters. French ships waved them on, then collected the discarded life jackets for future crossings. This is a taxpayer-funded ferry service for the people-smuggling trade.”
Earlier, government minister Baroness Jaqui Smith acknowledged the rising numbers is an “enormously serious” problem.
“I can understand why people look at it and they feel concerned about both the people involved and what that means for our borders,” she told Sky News.
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