Nearly 700 migrants arrived in the UK yesterday – the highest daily total in more than seven months.
The total number who have illegally crossed the Channel in small boats this year has now passed 12,000, after a Border Force clipper brought 686 people from 13 boats to shore on Friday.
More arrivals were pictured in Dover this morning – the second consecutive day that Home Office officials were forced to spring into action, after six days without crossings at the start of the month.
Choppy conditions in the last week had put a temporary halt to the illegal crossings.
But a return to warmer weather and calmer seas has encouraged trafficking gangs to step up their operations in the last 48 hours.
A Border Force clipper packed with migrants arrived in Dover today as traffickers resume Channel crossings amid the fine summer weather
It is the second consecutive day that people have been brought to shore in the port town, after six days without crossings at the start of the month (pictured this morning)
Choppy conditions in the last week had put a temporary halt to the illegal crossings (people being brought ashore this morning)
Official Home Office figures now show that 12,120 migrants have landed in Dover since January 1, despite promises of a clampdown by Home Secretary Suella Braverman who has vowed to stop the boats.
This is still slightly lower than the equivalent point last year, when the cumulative total was just over 13,000.
Friday’s figure of 686 people surpassed June 11’s total of 549 as the highest for the year so far and is the biggest number recorded since 893 were brought in for processing on November 29.
The figures also show that 3,824 arrived in the country last month – the highest total for June since records began five years ago.
In June last year, 3,140 migrants arrived in the UK having crossed the Channel. In 2021, 2,177 were detected, while there were 727 in 220 and 163 in 2019. And in June 2018, just four people made the crossing.
Despite the flurry of crossings throughout the month, the total for the first half of the year is still 10 per cent lower than this time last year, when the figure stood at 12,747.
The Government’s flagship Rwanda policy was ruled unlawful in the Court of Appeal last week, forcing the PM Rishi Sunak to take the case to the Supreme Court.
Several ministers have threatened to pull Britain out of the European Convention of Human Rights, which was masterminded by Winston Churchill after World War Two to provide safe haven for people seeking asylum.
Even in Westminster, the government suffered 20 defeats in the House of Lords over their controversial policy. Among those voting against the proposals was the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Migrants arrived in Dover Port yesterday morning on board Border Fore vessel Defender
Nearly 700 migrants arrived in the UK yesterday (pictured) – the highest daily total in more than seven months
Friday’s figure of 686 people (pictured yesterday morning) surpassed June 11’s total of 549 as the highest for the year so far and is the biggest number recorded since 893 were brought in for processing on November 29
Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesman, said: ‘It is clear that the Government’s approach to tackling the small boats crisis in our channel is simply not working.
‘Instead of spouting spiteful rhetoric, Suella Braverman and the Home Office she fails to run should tackle the huge asylum seeker backlog immediately.
‘This Government has turned a blind eye to the crisis in the Channel. Their immoral and ineffective small boats Bill will make no difference whatsoever.
Commenting on the ongoing situation, a Home Office spokesperson said: ‘The unacceptable number of people risking their lives by making these dangerous crossings is placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system.
‘Our priority is to stop the boats, and our Small Boats Operational Command is working alongside our French partners and other agencies to disrupt the people smugglers.
‘The government has gone further by introducing legislation which will ensure that those people arriving in the UK illegally are detained and promptly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country.’
