As many as 100 migrants arrived in the United Kingdom via small boats on a recent day, a development that has increased pressure on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to outline his immigration plans. The arrivals occurred on vessels that some observers have branded ‘Burnham’s boats’.
The new Prime Minister has been silent on the issue of immigration for three days, despite its prominence in public opinion polls. While Burnham has announced commitments to end rough sleeping, implement an unfunded VAT cut on household energy bills, and cap bus fares at £2, his strategy for addressing small-boat crossings remains unclear.
These crossings come at a time when figures indicate that migrants arriving by small boats constituted less than 10% of all deportations last year. Opposition figures, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and their Home Affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf, have criticized the current approach. Farage stated, "With Open Borders Burnham now in charge, there has never been a better time to be an illegal migrant." Yusuf added that the current administration, like its predecessors, is "leaving our borders open and welcome hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants from countries that hate Britain," and that they "deport almost none of them." Reform UK has pledged to detain and deport all illegal migrants.
Migrants were observed boarding a large vessel at Equihen-Plage, near Boulogne-sur-Mer in France, with some being left behind as the boat departed. French authorities were present, distributing life jackets and assisting those in the water.
Since the Labour Party's election victory in July 2024, approximately 77,183 migrants have arrived in the UK by crossing the Channel. The total number of arrivals since records began in 2018 exceeds 200,000.
This year's arrivals, totaling over 12,000 so far, represent a 47% decrease compared to the same period last year. However, experts suggest that crossings could resume. No crossings had been recorded since July 10, a period attributed partly to unfavorable weather conditions that made the Channel waters choppier. Former Border Force chief Tony Smith also pointed to increased efforts by British and French law enforcement to disrupt smuggling operations as a potential factor. The National Crime Agency (NCA) recently seized 50 boats and engines at the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk, which were destined for Channel people-smuggling gangs. This seizure, the first of its kind in the UK, involved a container shipped from China carrying at least 25 ten-meter-long rubber boats and 25 outboard engines. Investigators believe this cargo was intended for Hamburg, Germany, a known hub for people smugglers operating in northern France and Belgium, and that the seizure may have disrupted an estimated 2,000 migrant crossing attempts.
A Home Office spokesperson stated that the government is actively working to curb small-boat crossings, with removals of such migrants at record levels and asylum claims down by 12%. The Home Secretary has reportedly signed a new agreement with France to enhance enforcement actions on beaches and prosecute people smugglers. This initiative builds upon joint efforts that have reportedly stopped over 45,000 attempted crossings since the election. The government also indicated that removals and deportations of individuals residing in the UK illegally have increased by 41%, with further measures being implemented to reduce the incentives for illegal migration.