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More than 20,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats since Labor came to office, the latest official figures have confirmed.
The milestone has been crossed in the five months since the July election, following a large increase in crossings this October compared to last year.
The number of crossings this year is still below the number seen in 2022, when late summer arrivals peaked at record levels.
But they are on last year’s total, highlighting the scale of the political challenge facing Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
Privately, ministers recognize that successfully tackling irregular, illegal migration is key to public perception of government.
The latest figures, updated on Monday, show that 122 people arrived in two small boats on Sunday, bringing the total number since July 5 – when Labor’s election victory in Sir Kerr entered Downing Street – – 20,110.
This compares with 17,020 who made the crossing between the same dates last year.
This is largely due to an increase in crossings during the month of October, with Home Office sources indicating more days during the month when seas were calmer than last year.
The number of migrants crossing in Labour’s first five months in office is the same as the 20,839 crossing between July and November 2021.
The total is down from the 31,264 who crossed in the same period in 2022, the highest number of crossings for the year on record.
Labor scrapped the previous government’s plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda to stop the crossing.
No migrants were sent to Rwanda under the scheme, which was described as a costly “flash” that would not prevent refugees from coming through Labour.
Instead, the government says it will try to reduce crossings by cracking down on gangs that smuggle people into the UK.
It wants to give police wider powers to tackle gangs, and increase cooperation with law enforcement authorities in other countries.
Ministers last week A deal was unveiled Under which the UK will give money to Iraq to improve its border security, with the promise of greater intelligence sharing and more joint enforcement operations.
Ministers want to allow police to use Blair-era counter-terrorism powers to target people suspected of being involved in people-trafficking.
Before the election, Labor also said it wanted additional powers to restrict traffickers’ access to the internet and travel, and to “directly monitor” their financial accounts.
Legislation to give police new powers has yet to be published, and will take months to get through parliament.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Phillips called the government’s approach “weak and empty” and urged ministers to “immediately recalibrate” the Rwanda policy.
“These figures show that under Keir Starmer, gangs are thriving,” he added.
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