The number of migrants crossing the English Channel has set a new record for the first half of the year, with nearly 20,000 people making the dangerous journey to the UK by the end of June.
Home Office figures show 19,982 migrants had arrived after crossing the Channel by 30 June, marking a dramatic 48% increase from the 13,489 who made the crossing in the first six months of 2024. The figure is also 75% higher than the equivalent period in 2023, when 11,433 migrants arrived.
Record-breaking crossings continue
Data collection on Channel crossings began in 2018, making this the highest six-month total since monitoring started. On Monday alone, 879 migrants made the journey across 13 boats, representing the third highest number of arrivals on a single day this year.
The highest single-day arrival figure for 2025 remains 1,195 people on 31 May. However, the all-time record for daily arrivals stands at 1,305 migrants, which occurred on 3 September 2022.
Government calls numbers "unacceptable"
A Number 10 spokesman said on Tuesday the numbers are "clearly unacceptable", adding: "Let's be clear, the rising numbers in recent years are because these gangs have been allowed to embed industrial-scale smuggling enterprises across Europe."
On Tuesday, the Conservatives claimed the number of migrants crossing the Channel has passed 20,000. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised the Government's approach, saying: "One year into Labour's Government and the boats haven't stopped - they've multiplied."
Opposition demands tougher deterrents
Philp argued that "Labour tore up our deterrent and replaced it with fantasy" and called for a removals system where "every single illegal immigrant who arrives is removed to a location outside Europe". He claimed such measures would cause "the crossings will then rapidly stop".
The Number 10 spokesman responded that the problem requires "international solutions and international partnerships", which is "what you're seeing". Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) revealed in May that he has discussed "return hubs" for failed asylum seekers with other countries.
New measures in development
The Government is exploring the possibility of processing asylum seekers in third countries before deportation. French officials have also agreed to changes allowing police patrolling the coast to take action at sea when migrants climb into boats from the water, though these measures are yet to come into effect.
Parliament is currently considering the Government's Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which would grant counter-terror style powers to police and introduce new criminal offences targeting people-smuggling gangs.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
