Small boat crossings to UK up fifth but remain below European peers

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The number of people arriving in Britain by small boat has risen by more than a fifth compared to last year, although the figure is lower than those arriving by sea to Italy, Spain and Greece.

More than 35,800 people entered the UK by small boat, up from 29,400 last year. According to the information from the Home Office. The figure is below the record of 45,750 reached in 2022.

But this year’s increase – more than half of which took place after the general election on July 4 – could increase pressure on Sir Keir Starmer, who has vowed to crack down on and finally bring to an end the gang of migrants across the English Channel. Crossings to small boats.

More than 150,000 people have entered the UK in small boats since the migrant route began to be blocked in 2018.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to “stop the boats” in general – and he wanted to implement a very controversial plan. Sending asylum seekers to Rwanda – but he ultimately made a negligible impact on the crosshairs before being voted out of Downing Street in July.

Starmer refused to be attracted to the target to reduce the number of people arriving by small boats, saying that they have not done a good job in the past.

However, he was shooting his time last month Six “milestones” for government It does not include any targets on legal or illegal immigration.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said earlier this month that if the Tories were still in power, terminations would have been in the “thousands”.

In the year Migrants entering the UK by small boat have increased this year, with similar arrivals in Italy falling sharply from a peak in 2023.

According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, arrivals to Spain have increased by 44 percent, while arrivals to Greece have increased slightly.

Boat crossings in Italy have been drastically reduced by the so-called Rome process, launched by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni last year, which has seen Italy forge agreements with North African countries including Libya and Tunisia to tackle people-smuggling in the countries. Where they work.

Starmer is excited. Copying aspects of the plan It is part of the effort to “crush the gangs”.

Afghanistan is the country of origin for the largest number of migrants arriving in the UK on small boats, accounting for 17 per cent in the first three quarters of the year.

There has also been a sharp increase in arrivals from Vietnam this year, with the number three times higher than in previous years and reaching 13 percent in the first three quarters of the year.

In April, the government signed an agreement to increase cooperation with Vietnam to combat irregular migration.