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In the first half of this year, close to 20,000 individuals made their way to the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats, marking a 48% increase compared to the same period in 2024. According to the latest Home Office data, nearly 1,500 people have crossed since Sunday, bringing the total count to 19,982 by the end of June. The figure for the first half of 2025 represents a 75% spike from 2023, which recorded 11,433 crossings.
The Conservative Party criticized the government, accusing them of setting a new national record for failure as the number of migrants making the journey surpassed previous years. Ministers have attributed the increase in crossings to favorable weather conditions and the willingness of people smugglers to endanger more lives by overcrowding boats. Since taking office in July of the previous year, the Labour government has introduced measures to combat people smuggling, including the establishment of a new criminal offense for endangering lives at sea.
The trend of small boat arrivals has been steadily rising, with 2025 already breaking records for the highest number of crossings in the first six months of a year since data collection began in 2018. The Home Office reported 13,489 arrivals in 2024 and 11,433 in 2023. Discussions on tackling these crossings will be a focal point when the French President visits the UK, prompted by concerns raised about the deteriorating situation in the English Channel. There have been negotiations for a potential deal between London and Paris where the UK could return some migrants to France in exchange for accepting asylum seekers seeking family reunion.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp attributed the surge in crossings to Labour’s decision to scrap a deportation plan put in place by the previous Conservative government. Philp emphasized the need for a removal deterrent to prevent illegal immigration, while a Home Office spokesperson maintained that the government is implementing a comprehensive plan to dismantle smuggling networks. Instances of boats experiencing difficulties, as witnessed near Dunkirk, highlight the ongoing challenges faced by authorities as they grapple with the influx of migrants attempting the perilous journey across the Channel
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