Migrant boat crossings set for worst year EVER as Labour blamed for ‘idiotic’ decision to scrap Rwanda deterrent
MIGRANT small boat crossing numbers are on track for the worst year to date — heaping more pressure on Labour to slash arrivals.
A record 1,489 illegal migrants made the risky Channel journey between the start of January and February 5, statistics show.
That tops the 1,335 who crossed from France this time last year and the 1,442 in 2023.
The Home Office has blamed the rise on the high number of days when weather in the Channel was good.
Labour has grappled with the rise since it gained power seven months ago, promising to crack down on people smuggling gangs who profit from the boatloads of migrants.
But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip last night blamed PM Sir Keir Starmer for “idiotically” scrapping the Rwanda deportation plan.
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He added: “Labour is introducing their Border Surrender Bill which gives illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.
"This is a weak Labour government led by a weak PM.”
MPs will next week vote on Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s Borders Bill, which will give immigration police counter-terror-style powers to flush out the people traffickers.
Last year, 36,816 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats, up from the 29,437 the previous year.
