Latest news with #EnglishChannel
The Independent
3 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
French authorities criticised as daily migrant arrivals top 1,000
Defence Secretary John Healey has criticised the French authorities for failing to intervene as small boats carrying migrants left beaches near Calais. More than 1,000 people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday, with French police reportedly watching as migrants boarded near Calais and Dunkirk. Healey described the scenes as "shocking" and stated that Britain has "lost control of its borders" over the last five years. Ministers are reportedly pressing the French government to implement an agreement allowing them to intercept the boats, not just prevent departures from the shore. A total of 1,194 people made the journey in 18 boats on Saturday, bringing the year's provisional total to 14,811, a 42 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
More than 1,000 migrants cross Channel in a day
More than 1,100 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel on Saturday, the highest number recorded on a single day so far in 2025. The latest Home Office figures showed 1,194 people arrived in 18 small boats. This year could see a new record set, with the number of arrivals so far being the highest recorded in the first five months of a year. On Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, Defence Secretary John Healey said Britain had "lost control of its borders over the last five years". The most recent arrivals bring the annual total so far to 14,811, up 42% on this time last year and 95% up from the same point in 2023. Almost 37,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024 but the highest figures were for 2022, when 45,755 people arrived. The highest daily total of arrivals since data began in 2018 was 1,305, which was recorded on 3 September, 2022. Healey called the scenes of migrants being picked up by smugglers "like a taxi" to be brought to the UK "shocking". He said an agreement was in place with French authorities, who rescued 184 on Saturday, to change the way they worked. "Our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore," Healey added. A Home Office spokesperson said: "We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. "The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay, and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice. "That is why this government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage." Additional reporting from PA Media. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. How many people cross the Channel in small boats? Is the government meeting its pledges on illegal immigration and asylum? UK and France in talks over migrant returns deal Home Office
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats in a single day hits a 2025 high
LONDON (AP) — U.K. government figures Sunday showed that more than 1,100 migrants arrived in the country on Saturday in small boats from France across the English Channel, the highest number recorded on a single day so far this year. The latest Home Office figures show that 1,194 migrants arrived in 18 boats on Saturday in what were settled weather conditions, bringing the provisional annual total so far to 14,811. That's 42% higher than the same point last year, an increase that has piled pressure on the Labour government, which returned to power nearly a year ago partly on disillusionment with the previous Conservative administration 's efforts to get a grip on the the numbers making the crossing. Having ditched the Conservative government's plan to send migrants who arrived in the U.K. by unauthorized means to Rwanda, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would get control by smashing the gangs and the business models that sustain their smuggling operations. Since gaining power, Starmer's government has sought better intelligence-sharing internationally, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and has adopted tougher rules in its immigration legislation. French police officers were seen watching Saturday as migrants boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, and authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. French authorities said they rescued 184 people. 'Pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday," Defense Secretary John Healey told Sky News. He added that it is a 'really big problem' that French police are unable to intervene to intercept boats in shallow waters, adding that the U.K. is pressing for the French to put new rules into operation so they can intervene. 'They're not doing it, but, but for the first time for years … we've got the level of cooperation needed," he told Sky News. 'We've got the agreement that they will change the way they work, and our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore.' Despite French and U.K. efforts, the cross-Channel route, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, remains a major smuggling corridor for people fleeing conflict or poverty. Many migrants favor the U.K. for reasons of language, family ties or perceived easier access to asylum and work. The Home Office says 36,816 people arrived in the UK on small boats in 2024, 25% more than in 2023 (29,437). The highest number of arrivals was in 2022, with 45,774.
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- General
- Washington Post
The number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats in a single day hits a 2025 high
LONDON — U.K. government figures Sunday showed that more than 1,100 migrants arrived in the country on Saturday in small boats from France across the English Channel, the highest number recorded on a single day so far this year. The latest Home Office figures show that 1,194 migrants arrived in 18 boats on Saturday in what were settled weather conditions, bringing the provisional annual total so far to 14,811. That's 42% higher than the same point last year, an increase that has piled pressure on the Labour government, which returned to power nearly a year ago partly on disillusionment with the previous Conservative administration 's efforts to get a grip on the the numbers making the crossing. Having ditched the Conservative government's plan to send migrants who arrived in the U.K. by unauthorized means to Rwanda, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would get control by smashing the gangs and the business models that sustain their smuggling operations. Since gaining power, Starmer's government has sought better intelligence-sharing internationally, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and has adopted tougher rules in its immigration legislation. French police officers were seen watching Saturday as migrants boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, and authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. French authorities said they rescued 184 people. 'Pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday,' Defense Secretary John Healey told Sky News. He added that it is a 'really big problem' that French police are unable to intervene to intercept boats in shallow waters, adding that the U.K. is pressing for the French to put new rules into operation so they can intervene. 'They're not doing it, but, but for the first time for years … we've got the level of cooperation needed,' he told Sky News. 'We've got the agreement that they will change the way they work, and our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore.' Despite French and U.K. efforts, the cross-Channel route, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, remains a major smuggling corridor for people fleeing conflict or poverty. Many migrants favor the U.K. for reasons of language, family ties or perceived easier access to asylum and work. The Home Office says 36,816 people arrived in the UK on small boats in 2024, 25% more than in 2023 (29,437). The highest number of arrivals was in 2022, with 45,774.
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- General
- Associated Press
The number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats in a single day hits a 2025 high
LONDON (AP) — U.K. government figures Sunday showed that more than 1,100 migrants arrived in the country on Saturday in small boats from France across the English Channel, the highest number recorded on a single day so far this year. The latest Home Office figures show that 1,194 migrants arrived in 18 boats on Saturday in what were settled weather conditions, bringing the provisional annual total so far to 14,811. That's 42% higher than the same point last year, an increase that has piled pressure on the Labour government, which returned to power nearly a year ago partly on disillusionment with the previous Conservative administration 's efforts to get a grip on the the numbers making the crossing. Having ditched the Conservative government's plan to send migrants who arrived in the U.K. by unauthorized means to Rwanda, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would get control by smashing the gangs and the business models that sustain their smuggling operations. Since gaining power, Starmer's government has sought better intelligence-sharing internationally, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and has adopted tougher rules in its immigration legislation. French police officers were seen watching Saturday as migrants boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, and authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. French authorities said they rescued 184 people. 'Pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday,' Defense Secretary John Healey told Sky News. He added that it is a 'really big problem' that French police are unable to intervene to intercept boats in shallow waters, adding that the U.K. is pressing for the French to put new rules into operation so they can intervene. 'They're not doing it, but, but for the first time for years … we've got the level of cooperation needed,' he told Sky News. 'We've got the agreement that they will change the way they work, and our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore.' Despite French and U.K. efforts, the cross-Channel route, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, remains a major smuggling corridor for people fleeing conflict or poverty. Many migrants favor the U.K. for reasons of language, family ties or perceived easier access to asylum and work. The Home Office says 36,816 people arrived in the UK on small boats in 2024, 25% more than in 2023 (29,437). The highest number of arrivals was in 2022, with 45,774.
