British Channel crossings to the UK exceed 40,000 for the year

London

More than 40,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel to Britain so far this year, British government figures have shown.

Some 972 people were detected on Saturday in 22 boats, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, taking the provisional total for the year to 40,885.

In 2021, there were 28,561 recorded.

The arrivals on Saturday were the first so far in November, with the most recent crossings previously made on October 31 when 46 people were detected on one boat.

Yvette Cooper, Labour’s shadow home secretary, said: “Dangerous boat crossings are putting lives at risk.

These figures show the government has completely failed to prevent the criminal smuggler and trafficking gangs hugely expanding in the Channel over the last three years.

“The Conservatives need to urgently adopt Labour’s plan for a major new unit of the National Crime Agency to crack down on the criminal gangs.

“Ministers also need to sort out their own failing decision-making systems so they clear the backlogs that border staff have warned are acting as a recruiting tool for those smuggler gangs.

“It is unacceptable that just 4% of last year’s small boat cases have even been processed.

“The Conservatives’ rhetoric and gimmicks haven’t worked. We need serious, hard work to make sure the Home Office gets a grip.”

The milestone comes as immigration minister Robert Jenrick has insisted a move towards more basic accommodation is necessary to remove a “pull factor” for those making their way to Britain in small boats.

He claimed the country’s “generosity” towards refugees is being “abused” by people “skipping the queue,” putting a strain on the immigration system.

-Ranjith Perera-