Public has ‘every right to be angry' about small boats crossings, PM says
The Prime Minister suggested he was 'angry too', after Home Office data showed 1,194 migrants arrived in 18 boats on Saturday.
But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described Sir Keir's words as 'rubbish', claiming that even Defence Secretary John Healey had acknowledged ministers had 'lost control' of the borders.
Saturday's figures were the first time daily crossings topped a thousand in 2025, and prompted Mr Healey to claim Britain had 'lost control' over the last five years, implicating the former Tory government.
Writing on social media site X on Monday, the Prime Minister said: 'You have every right to be angry about small boat crossings.
'I'm angry too.
'We are ramping up our efforts to smash the people smuggling gangs at source.'
Rubbish! Even the Defence Secretary admits the govt has "lost control" of our borders.
The facts:– Small boat arrivals up 95% from this point in 2023– Most returns are voluntary– Scrapped the only viable deterrent– Voted against our Deportation Bill that would fix things https://t.co/TuaJTV9zxq
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) June 2, 2025
He claimed hundreds of boats and engines had been 'seized', raids on illegal working were up, and 'almost 30,000 people' had been returned.
But Mrs Badenoch hit back, responding: 'Rubbish! Even the Defence Secretary admits the govt has 'lost control' of our borders.'
Small boat arrivals are 'up 95% from this point in 2023', she said, and claimed ministers had 'scrapped the only viable deterrent': the previous Conservative government's Rwanda plan.
Sir Keir had earlier insisted the Rwanda plan 'didn't deter anybody', after his decision to scrap it was highlighted while he visited Glasgow for a major defence announcement.
He added: 'I'm not up for gimmicks. I'm up for the hard work of working with partners, enhancing the powers that law enforcement have, in my determination to take down the gangs that are running this vile trade.'
The Prime Minister also signalled to journalists he had a duty to stop Channel crossings.
He said: 'In relation to border security, I want to be really clear: nobody should be making that journey across the Channel and it's our duty to make sure that we ensure that they don't.
'We are working very closely with our counterparts in France and elsewhere to take further action in northern France, and of course, we are giving enhanced powers to our own law enforcement through the Borders Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.'
Saturday's crossings brought the provisional annual total so far of migrants who have made the journey to 14,811.
This is 42% higher than the same point last year (10,448) and 95% up from the same point in 2023 (7,610), according to PA news agency analysis of the data.
It is still lower than the highest daily total of 1,305 arrivals since data began in 2018, which was recorded on September 3 2022.
On Sunday, Mr Healey said the scenes of migrants being picked up by smugglers 'like a taxi' to be brought to the UK were 'shocking'.
Britain has 'lost control of its borders over the last five years', he added.
The Defence Secretary said it is a 'really big problem' that French police are unable to intervene to intercept boats in shallow waters.
French police officers were seen watching as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, and authorities were then pictured escorting the boats.
Some 184 people were rescued, the French authorities said.
The UK agreed a £480 million deal with France to beef up its efforts to stop migrants in 2023 under former prime minister Rishi Sunak.
It was the latest in a series of agreements with France since 2014 aimed at cracking down on crossings.
This year is on course to set a record for Channel crossings, with the 14,811 total arrivals so far the highest recorded for the first five months of a year.
It has also surpassed the highest total recorded for the first six months of the year, which was previously 13,489 on June 30 last year.
In 2024, the number of arrivals did not reach more than 14,000 until July 9 (14,058).
Sir Keir's Government has pledged to 'smash the gangs' behind people-smuggling operations to bring down crossings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
20 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Staggering cost Labour has spent chartering boats to rescue migrants in Channel in just eight months revealed
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NEARLY £4million has been spent under Sir Keir Starmer's government on chartering five privately owned boats to rescue migrants in the Channel over the last eight months. Border Force chiefs have used vessels from two private companies to patrol the English Channel and pick up migrants in dinghies making the treacherous journey from France to the UK. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Migrants in dinghies making the treacherous journey from France to the UK Credit: PA 2 Nearly £4million has been spent under Sir Keir Starmer's government on chartering five privately owned boats to rescue migrants Credit: Getty Aeolian Offshore and CWind provide the boats, which are normally used to carry maintenance and repair crew between offshore wind farms. Home Office figures show Aeolian has been paid £2,093,800 since July last year and Cwind £1,786,199 in the same period. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The catamarans leased under these contracts are considered more suitable for the task of rescuing migrants from small boats, than the larger vessels in the Border Force maritime fleet. "As a result, our fleet of cutters and coastal-patrol vessels are free to concentrate on tackling the wider threats around the UK coast. "This includes preventing the smuggling of drugs and firearms into our country.' This week Reform and the Conservatives accused the Government of 'blaming the weather' for record numbers of crossings in the 12 months since April 2024. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'It is the border- security equivalent of a lazy student claiming 'the dog ate my homework'.' The Sun revealed yesterday that immigration was seen as the worst-handled issue under Labour. A staggering 74 per cent of Brits said the government was doing a bad job, with more than half – 52 per cent – said it's being handled very badly.
The Sun
20 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fury as fear of mass migration branded ‘terrorist ideology' in official govt training papers
CONCERN about mass migration is a 'terrorist ideology' that requires deradicalisation, official government training documents state. A course hosted by the anti-extremism programme Prevent lists 'cultural nationalism' as a belief that should trigger alarm. It includes a view that 'Western culture is under threat from mass mig-ration and lack of integration by certain ethnic or cultural groups'. The news has sparked fury with free speech activists, including Toby Young, head of the Free Speech Union. In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, he writes: 'Now that 'cultural nationalism' has been classified as a subcategory of extreme right-wing terrorist ideology, even mainstream, right-of-centre beliefs risk being treated as ideologically suspect, despite falling well within the bounds of lawful expression.' The Home Office said: 'Prevent is not about restricting debate or free speech, but preventing those suscept-ible to radicalisation.' It comes after 1,194 illegal migrants arrived on small boats last Saturday. The leader of Labour's Red Wall faction said Sir Keir Starmer should consider reforming ECHR laws blamed for letting an Albanian criminal stay here due to his son not liking chicken nuggets abroad. Backbencher Jo White said: 'We need to be looking at things like ECHR article eight. "I don't think anything should be off the table. 13 migrants jumped from the back of a lorry at a Sainsbury's distribution centre in South East London 2
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
John Swinney in the firing line after allowing education secretary to swerve parliamentary duties DESPITE school crisis
Ministers have faced increased scrutiny over their response to soaring levels of violence in schools NO SHOW John Swinney in the firing line after allowing education secretary to swerve parliamentary duties DESPITE school crisis JOHN Swinney let Jenny Gilruth dodge a grilling on school violence. We can reveal the First Minister signed off the SNP Education Secretary's absence two months before the Holyrood Q&A on the classroom crisis. Advertisement 3 Jenny Gilruth was out campaigning for the SNP 3 First Minister John Swinney MSP at the Scottish Parliament It was scheduled on the same day a 12-year-girl was rushed to hospital after an alleged stabbing at a school in Aberdeen. Ms Gilruth instead posed for a selfie while campaigning in her Mid-Fife and Glenrothes seat. Emails showed parliamentary business minister Jamie Hepburn was also involved her free pass on April 24. Colleague Graeme Dey instead stepped in. Advertisement It was the first education questions for five weeks as MSPs returned from their Easter holidays. Ministers have faced increased scrutiny over their response to soaring levels of violence in schools. There are also concerns about an ongoing funding crisis at top Scottish universities. Last night Tory education spokesman Miles Briggs claimed ministers would 'do anything to avoid being held to account.' Advertisement He added: 'It's scandalous that even John Swinney was in on this, turning a blind eye to his education secretary missing important parliamentary questions to campaign.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Diary commitments meant the Education Secretary was unable to attend portfolio questions. Jenny Gilruth accused of 'playing truant' after her parliament no-show "In line with rules, the Higher Education Minister answered questions.' 3 John Swinney and Jenny Gilruth
