Nine small boats carrying 572 people attempting to cross the Channel were intercepted, bringing the total number of arrivals via small boats this year to 32,691, according to the Home Office, as reported by The Guardian. This marks a 22% increase compared to last year’s figures, although it remains 18% lower than the total at this point in 2022.
The recent rise in crossings follows a pledge from Labour leader and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to allocate an additional £75 million to combat people smuggling, which he described as a “national security threat.” Starmer also announced the formation of a new team of detectives to tackle the issue.
Despite these increased efforts, the dangers associated with Channel crossings have escalated. The French coastguard reported finding four bodies near Calais earlier this week, raising the suspected number of fatalities this year to 60—five times the figure recorded in 2022. This includes the body of a man recovered by Kent Police on Tuesday near Dover.
Speaking at the Interpol assembly in Glasgow, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the government would double its funding for the border security command to £150 million. Additionally, Starmer revealed new agreements with Serbia, North Macedonia, and Kosovo to strengthen cooperation on intelligence and border security.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, criticized the government’s “smash the gangs” approach, advocating instead for a “fair asylum system” that supports refugee integration. Writing in The Guardian, Solomon pointed out that as enforcement measures tighten, smugglers are increasingly endangering lives by “cramming more people into boats and launching from more hazardous locations.”
