On Friday, the UK experienced a record-breaking number of migrants crossing the English Channel in a single day this year. According to figures from the Home Office, 686 individuals made the perilous journey. In the six days leading up to this, no migrants or small boats were detected.
The previous daily high for 2023 was observed on 11 June, with 549 people undertaking the crossing. The total number of crossings this year, based on provisional data, stands at 12,119, which is slightly lower than the equivalent point in 2022 when the total exceeded 13,000. In 2021, the total number of crossings reached 45,755.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made addressing small boat crossings a significant commitment of his government this year. Concerns have been raised about the number of migrants making these dangerous journeys, prompting calls for stricter immigration controls.
On Friday, 13 migrant boats were detected crossing the English Channel, averaging around 53 people per vessel. Conservative MPs on the right of the party have urged Sunak to implement measures to reduce immigration, arguing that the current system is too lenient.
In January, Sunak outlined five pledges aimed at addressing the public’s priorities, including passing new laws to deter Channel crossings. However, the government’s plans faced a setback when the Court of Appeal ruled that the deportation scheme to Rwanda was unlawful. The court overturned a previous High Court ruling that considered Rwanda a “safe third country” for migrants.
Downing Street defended its migration policy in response to a report by the New Conservatives group, which proposed a 12-point plan to reduce immigration, including ending the temporary visa scheme for care workers and capping the number of refugees allowed to settle in the UK. The government spokesperson stated that the removal of care workers from the shortage occupation list was not currently under consideration.
