The political debate over migration has intensified as figures revealed that more than 150,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since 2018. The Home Office reported that 407 people made the journey on Boxing Day, with additional crossings recorded on December 27. Combined with the 451 arrivals on Christmas Day, the total number of crossings since January 1, 2018, now stands at 150,243, a number equivalent to the population of Cambridge.
In response to these figures, a Home Office source blamed the previous government for the current crisis, stating that the Tories left an “appalling legacy” of broken border security. The government is now working to address this, with plans for a new Border Security Command, 100 new investigators, and enhanced cooperation with European countries to dismantle the criminal gangs profiting from the crossings. Additionally, there is a focus on increasing removals of those with no legal right to stay in the UK.
However, Labour’s shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, criticized the government, accusing Labour of allowing 858 illegal immigrants to enter the country over Christmas. Philp also took aim at Labour’s decision to scrap the Rwanda deportation plan, arguing that it had undermined deterrents that had been effective in countries like Australia.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made international cooperation a cornerstone of his approach, vowing to tackle the smuggling gangs responsible for the crossings. Since Labour’s election win in July, over 22,324 people have arrived in the UK via the Channel, marking a 24% increase compared to the same period in 2023, though still down 32% from 2022’s record numbers.
In total, 35,898 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel in 2024, a 22% increase from the previous year but still lower than the 2022 record. The number of crossings tends to rise during “red days” when weather conditions are favorable, and 2024 has already seen more such days than 2023.
The National Crime Agency is currently leading around 70 investigations into organized immigration crime and human trafficking. Tragically, 50 people have died attempting to cross the Channel this year, making 2024 the deadliest year in the ongoing crisis.
The number of migrants crossing the Channel has steadily increased since 2018, when just 299 people were detected. In 2019, 1,843 crossings were recorded, followed by 8,466 in 2020. The peak came in 2022, with 45,774 arrivals, before dropping to 29,437 in 2023.
A Home Office spokesperson stressed the government’s commitment to stopping dangerous crossings and highlighted the threat from people-smuggling gangs exploiting vulnerable migrants.
How many people have crossed the Channel in small boats since 2018?
Over 150,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since 2018, with the total reaching 150,243 as of December 2024.