As many as 100 migrants arrived in the United Kingdom via the English Channel on vessels reported to be branded 'Burnham's boats,' a development occurring during the first days of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's premiership. This influx has intensified pressure on the new prime minister to articulate his plans for immigration, an issue that has been a significant concern for voters.
While Prime Minister Burnham has announced commitments to end rough sleeping, a VAT cut on household energy bills, and a £2 cap on bus fares, his strategy for addressing small-boat crossings remains undisclosed. He has not publicly addressed the issue in the three days since taking office.
The arrivals occurred as figures revealed that small boat migrants accounted for less than 10% of deportations in the previous year. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage commented on the situation, stating, "With Open Borders Burnham now in charge, there has never been a better time to be an illegal migrant." The party's Home Affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, added that the Labour party, like the Conservatives, is "leaving our borders open and welcome hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants from countries that hate Britain," and asserted that Reform UK would "detain and deport all illegal migrants in Britain."
Migrants were observed boarding a large vessel at Equihen-Plage, near Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France, on Tuesday morning. Footage from the scene showed the boat departing with some migrants waving to others left behind. French authorities were present, distributing life jackets and assisting individuals in the water.
Since the Labour party's election victory in July 2024, approximately 77,183 migrants have arrived in the UK via Channel crossings. The number of arrivals so far this year, exceeding 12,000, represents a 47% decrease compared to the same period last year. However, experts suggest that crossings could increase again.
No crossings were recorded between July 10 and the recent arrivals. Former Border Force chief Tony Smith suggested that while windy weather may have contributed to choppier Channel waters, increased disruption efforts by British and French police against smuggling gangs might also be a factor. Smith noted that the Border Security Command agency's upstream disruption efforts, including more seizures of boats and engines in Europe, have had an impact, making it more difficult to launch dinghies from northern France.
In a related development, the National Crime Agency (NCA) seized 50 boats and engines intended for Channel people-smuggling gangs at the Port of Felixstowe. The seizure included at least 25 ten-meter-long rubber boats, each capable of carrying up to 80 people, and 25 outboard engines, all discovered in a container shipped from China. This is reportedly the first time such a bulk consignment has been seized in the UK and is believed to have disrupted approximately 2,000 migrant crossing attempts. Investigators suspect the cargo was destined for Hamburg, Germany, a known hub for smugglers operating in northern France and Belgium.
A Home Office spokesperson stated that the government is actively combating small boat crossings, with removals of such migrants at record levels and asylum claims down by 12%. The spokesperson highlighted a new agreement with France aimed at increasing enforcement on beaches and prosecuting people smugglers, building on joint efforts that have prevented over 45,000 attempted crossings since the election. The government has also reportedly removed or deported nearly 70,000 individuals residing in the UK illegally, an increase of 41%, and is implementing further measures to reduce the incentives for illegal migration.