Figures released this week reveal that migrants who arrived in the United Kingdom via small boats constituted less than 10% of all deportations in the past year. This data has intensified pressure on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to articulate his plans for immigration policy.
Ministers disclosed that small boat arrivals represented approximately 7% of migrants removed from the UK in the year ending March 2026. This figure includes hundreds of individuals returned to France under a bilateral agreement that requires the UK to accept a migrant for each one deported. Concerns have been raised that some individuals deported under this scheme have subsequently re-entered the UK illegally.
Political groups Reform and the Conservative Party have criticized Prime Minister Burnham for not addressing immigration in his initial speech after taking office, particularly given its prominence in public opinion polls. While Burnham has outlined commitments to end rough sleeping and reduce household energy bills through a VAT cut, his strategy for managing immigration, including small boat crossings, remains undisclosed.
Zia Yusuf, Reform's home affairs spokesman, stated that both Labour and the Conservatives have maintained open borders. He criticized the low rate of deportations, suggesting it allows illegal migrants to reside in the UK at taxpayer expense, and asserted that Reform would detain and deport all illegal migrants.
Chris Philp, the Conservative Party's shadow home secretary, described the situation as "insane," arguing that Labour's reluctance to deport illegal immigrants signals to potential arrivals that the UK is a lenient destination. He suggested that leaving the European Convention on Human Rights is necessary to deport all illegal arrivals, a move he claims Labour lacks the resolve to pursue.
The data emerged from a written parliamentary question answered by former Home Office minister Alex Norris, who is now Justice Secretary. He stated that around 7% of individuals removed or returned in the year ending March 2026 had arrived via small boat. This equates to approximately 2,700 removals out of a total of about 39,000 voluntary and forced removals during that 12-month period.
During the same year-end period, 39,271 small boat migrants arrived in the UK, a slight increase from 38,023 in the previous financial year. Between 2018 and April 2026, approximately 8,400 migrants who arrived on small boats were returned from the UK to another country, representing about 4% of all small boat arrivals in that timeframe.
One of Labour's early actions after winning the general election was to cancel the Conservative government's Rwanda deportation plan, which the Conservatives had argued would serve as a deterrent. Prime Minister Burnham has reappointed Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary, signaling a potential endorsement of her proposed reforms, which include extending the waiting period for legal residency from five to ten years. However, sources indicate a possibility of these reforms being softened, and Burnham has yet to detail his specific immigration and Channel crossing strategies. He has previously indicated support for the UK remaining a member of the ECHR.
Since the implementation of the 'one in, one out' agreement with France in August of the previous year, 1,087 arrivals have been sent to France, while 1,117 have been transferred to the UK from France. In total, there were around 39,000 voluntary and forced deportations in the 12 months to April 2026, an increase from 36,500 the year prior, partly attributed to this agreement.
Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, commented that the low number of small boat arrivals being removed suggests that arrival in Britain increases the likelihood of being accommodated and allowed to remain. He criticized current policies for attracting rather than deterring migrants and called for detention upon arrival and swift removal.
A Home Office spokesperson stated that nearly 70,000 people who were in the UK illegally have been returned or deported, a 41% increase compared to the previous administration. The spokesperson added that efforts are being made to curb small boat crossings, with removals of such migrants at record levels and asylum claims reduced by 12%. The department affirmed its commitment to removing incentives for illegal migration and deporting those without the right to remain in Britain.