Nearly 1,200 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats from France on Saturday — the highest daily number so far in 2025 — according to figures from the UK Home Office.
The department reported that 1,194 people arrived in 18 boats during favourable weather, bringing the total number of crossings this year to 14,811. That marks a 42% increase compared to the same point in 2024.
The spike in arrivals has intensified political pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, which came to power nearly a year ago following widespread frustration with the previous Conservative administration’s handling of immigration.
The former government pledged to curb Channel crossings but ultimately failed to reduce them. In contrast, Labour has taken a different approach — scrapping the Conservatives’ controversial Rwanda deportation plan and instead focusing on dismantling the people smuggling networks that drive illegal migration. The government has emphasised international intelligence sharing and stricter immigration policies as key tools.
Despite enhanced joint operations between France and the UK, the Channel continues to be a major route for people fleeing conflict or poverty. Migrants often choose the UK due to English-language familiarity, family ties, or a belief in more accessible asylum and employment opportunities.
Footage from Saturday showed French police observing as migrants launched boats from Gravelines, a coastal town between Calais and Dunkirk, before escorting them out to sea. French authorities confirmed they rescued 184 people during the day.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey described the scenes as “pretty shocking,” criticising the limited powers of French officers to intervene in shallow waters. “They’re not doing it, but for the first time in years…we’ve got the level of cooperation needed,” he said.
According to the Home Office, 36,816 people crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024 — a 25% increase on 2023. The highest annual total remains 2022, when 45,774 people made the journey. Photo by Steve Cadman, Wikimedia commons.
