More than 50,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats since Labour won the 2024 general election. The milestone was reached on Tuesday after 474 arrivals on Monday brought the total to approximately 49,797, with further crossings expected to push the figure over the symbolic threshold.
Labour former home secretary Baroness Jacqui Smith of Malvern described reaching the 50,000 figure as "unacceptable" when questioned about the crossings, as The Standard reports. Her admission highlighted the government's struggle to control illegal Channel crossings despite election promises.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticised Labour's manifesto pledge to "smash the criminal boat gangs" as "just a slogan". She argued that crossings are now "so much worse" than before the 2024 election, undermining the government's central immigration policy.
Record crossing numbers
This year's Channel crossings have reached 27,029 arrivals so far, representing a 47% increase compared to the same point in 2024 when 18,342 people had crossed. The figure is 67% higher than the 16,170 crossings recorded at this time in 2023.
Labour reached the 50,000 milestone in just 401 days compared to 603 days under Rishi Sunak's Conservative government. The acceleration in crossings contradicts the government's election promise to reduce illegal immigration through enhanced enforcement measures.
As HuffPost UK reports, the 50,000 boat arrivals represent only 5-6% of total UK immigration, with net migration reaching 431,000 in 2024. This context suggests the boat crossings, while politically significant, form a small fraction of overall immigration numbers.
Political pressure mounts
The Guardian reports that Reform UK now leads polling on immigration issues and is running a "Britain is lawless" campaign linking sexual offences to immigration. This sustained political pressure threatens to undermine Labour's credibility on one of its key election pledges.
The government has announced a "one in, one out" returns deal with France allowing the UK to return asylum seekers while accepting those with stronger claims, according to HuffPost UK. However, critics argue this arrangement fails to address the fundamental issues driving Channel crossings.
The cancelled Rwanda deportation policy cost £700 million with only a handful of voluntary departures, highlighting the previous Conservative government's failed approach. Migration experts suggest the current crisis reflects years of inadequate policy responses rather than recent developments.
Sources used: "PA Media", "The Guardian", "HuffPost UK", "The Standard"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
