More than 1,100 small boat migrants reached Britain in just four days as human traffickers took advantage of calm conditions on the Channel.
Latest Home Office figures showed there were 326 arrivals on Tuesday, bringing the number since Saturday to 1,168.
It brought the total since Labour came to power to 26,466, up 26 per cent on the equivalent period in 2023-24Yet Yet the total does not include other migrants – thought to be several hundred – who were intercepted in the Channel and brought to Dover yesterday.
The occupants of one dinghy refused to be rescued by French authorities yesterday, and carried on to UK waters.
It was the latest example of migrants declining rescue by the French – in some cases violently – in order to avoid being taken back to Calais.
The Home Office has previously described how migrants sometimes want to carry on past the mid-point of the Channel in order to be picked up by the UK Border Force instead, and brought into Dover.
Calm seas and rising daytime temperatures are thought to have triggered the recent crossings after a fortnight of relatively low arrival figures.
The four days from Saturday to Tuesday witnessed the most intensive period of crossings since Christmas week.
More than 1,100 small boat migrants reached Britain in just four days
Latest Home Office figures showed there were 326 arrivals on Tuesday, bringing the number since Saturday to 1,168
The four days from Saturday to Tuesday witnessed the most intensive period of crossings since Christmas week
Labour has faced criticism over its decision to scrap the Tories’ Rwanda asylum deal, which was designed to deter migrants from risking their lives in the Channel.
The Government has instead placed an emphasis on law enforcement measures against the trafficking gangs.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has accused Labour of ‘losing control of our borders’.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.
‘We are delivering real change in our approach through legislation to create new tools, powers, offences and enforcement action which will keep us one step ahead of the people smuggling gangs.’
