Record number of migrants crossing Channel for first half of year
The number of migrants crossing the English Channel has set a new record for the first half of the year.
Some 19,982 migrants had arrived in the UK after making the dangerous crossing by the end of June, latest Home Office figures show.
The total is 48% higher than the figure for the first six months of 2024, which was 13,489, and 75% higher than the equivalent figure for 2023, which was 11,433.
Data collection on the Channel crossings began in 2018.
A Number 10 spokesman said on Tuesday the numbers are “clearly unacceptable”, adding: “Let’s be clear, the rising numbers in recent years are because these gangs have been allowed to embed industrial-scale smuggling enterprises across Europe.”
Arrivals
Some 879 migrants made the journey in 13 boats on Monday, the third highest number of arrivals on a single day so far this year.
The highest number of arrivals on a single day so far in 2025 is 1,195 on May 31.
The record for the highest number of arrivals on one day is 1,305, which took place on September 3 2022.
On Tuesday, the Conservatives claimed the number of migrants crossing the Channel has passed 20,000.
‘Fantasy’
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “One year into Labour’s Government and the boats haven’t stopped – they’ve multiplied.
“Labour tore up our deterrent and replaced it with fantasy.
“This is the worst year on record, and it’s become a free-for-all.
“We need a removals deterrent so every single illegal immigrant who arrives is removed to a location outside Europe.
“The crossings will then rapidly stop.”
But the Number 10 spokesman said the problem requires “international solutions and international partnerships”, which is “what you’re seeing”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revealed in May that he has talked to countries about “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers as the Government is looking at the possibility of processing them in third countries before they are deported.
French officials have also agreed to changes that would allow police patrolling the coast to take action in the sea when migrants climb into boats from the water, which is yet to come into effect.
The Government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is also continuing through Parliament, which will hand counter-terror style powers to police and introduce new criminal offences to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
As expected, the government that caused this mess is getting off Scott free. It was the lies of Nigel Farage, the incompetence of the previous Tory government and the Brexit voters who caused this.
Labour are a complete disgrace, but it’s ultimately the brexit brigade that the buck needs to stop with.
True, there were no small boat crossings in 2016.
There were plenty of container and vehicle smuggling it has gone on for over 20 years, it was not so visible.
They only started collecting boat data in 2018.
It was a natural progression by criminals from crossings in Aegean and North Africa, the channel a shorter route.
The small boats are new, not existing flows switching to new routes.
People who hide in containers and lorries aren’t planning on getting found because they want to work off the books.
People who arrive in small boats aren’t hiding their arrival because they intend to present themselves to authorities to claim asylum. You don’t use this route if you hope to sneak in undetected.
Nope – the ‘Brexit Brigade’ were promised that the government would ‘take back control’, and it did. The trouble is the voters were led to believe that to mean there’d be a considerable reduction in immigration. Shysters like Johnson implied this would happen but then did the complete opposite. Brexit voters are as furious with the greased piglet as anyone for his duplicity. Starmer – has no idea of what to do about this. Just for clarity, I voted to remain
Johnson isn’t a shyster, he’s a libertarian. That means he doesn’t want government telling anyone what to do, which includes new arrivals. The more the merrier! You knew that when you voted for him.
‘He doesn’t want government telling anyone what to do‘
That’ll be why he locked us in our homes for two years then.
I think a lot of people were duped by Johnson: you have to remember though, the alternative was that commie fossil on a lifelong gap year, Jeremy Corbyn.
That’s always the thing about libertarians. They want limitless freedom until it’s inconvenient for them.
Personally i do not think any party know how to control it and that goes for the man that caused it smiling viper Farage with him going on and on about
Farage was not in charge of what happened after the Brexit referendum, nor how it was handled. That was partly May, but mostly Johnson.
Farage BREXIT PARTY RING A BLOODY BELL WITH YOU its in the name of the party he was in charge of got it
He is no angel. He was the mastermind of brexit and should have predicted the complexities of leaving the EU. He only highlighted the good stuff, and left out the problem areas.
Welcome.