Labour Deputy Leader: No Easy 'Switch' to Stop Small Boat Crossings

Labour's deputy leader, Lucy Powell, stated that there is no simple solution that can instantly halt small boat crossings in the English Channel, and not every migrant vessel can be intercepted. Her comments followed two instances of uncontrolled landings in Kent within two days.

The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has initiated an urgent review by the Border Security Command, deeming the failure to intercept the two boats "not acceptable."

Conservative opposition criticized Labour, asserting the party has lost control of the UK's borders and advocating for a "radically different" approach. Wednesday saw the highest number of arrivals this year, with 781 people recorded landing in 10 boats.

Powell, speaking to BBC local radio ahead of Labour's annual conference, emphasized the party's commitment to eradicating small boat crossings. "We are taking all steps we can to really bear down on and eradicate the small boat crossings altogether," she said. Powell noted that these efforts are beginning to show results, with small boat crossings significantly lower this year than in the past six years. She explained that as certain routes are closed, criminal organizations seek new methods.

Typically, migrants crossing the Channel are brought ashore by Border Security Command or RNLI boats. The landings on Monday and Tuesday, where boats arrived without official escort, were rare occurrences. The preceding landing without an escort was officially recorded on September 6, 2025, and prior to that, only one other such incident had been recorded since the Home Office began collecting data in 2023.

"It's not easy, if we had a switch that we could switch tomorrow to stop all small boats, we would switch it," Powell told BBC Kent. She acknowledged the concern these events raise and reiterated that the Home Secretary's ordered review reflects the unacceptability of the situation.

Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp commented on X, stating, "Labour has lost control of our borders. A radically different approach is needed." He suggested leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to enable rapid deportation of illegal entrants, without hotels, benefits, or lengthy court processes.

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Max Wilkinson MP highlighted the need for closer cooperation with the European Union. He argued that without adopting proposals to address the root causes by joining the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, smugglers will persist, lives will remain at risk, and taxpayer money will be wasted.