Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to be "relentless" in curbing small boat crossings as provisional figures show 14,526 migrants have entered the UK so far this year, a 43% decline from the same period in 2025.
More than 2,000 people have crossed the Channel since Burnham took office on 20 July, including 326 who arrived on Saturday. Last Wednesday marked the busiest day for crossings this year with 752 arrivals. The National Crime Agency has nearly doubled its officers tackling organised immigration crime to almost 800 since the start of 2025, while authorities seized more than 1,100 boats and engines last year.
Meanwhile, Spain installed a 500-metre floating barrier off its border with Morocco after approximately 50,000 migrants entered Ceuta last week. At least 72 people died attempting the crossing, and EU ministers have convened emergency talks for Tuesday.