Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
United Kingdom Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is facing growing backlash after more than 1,000 illegal migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday, May 31—marking the highest daily figure so far this year.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called the incident a “day of shame” for the Labour government.
“Over 1,000 illegal immigrants in a single day, boats flooding the Channel, Border Force stretched beyond breaking point, and even fishing vessels drafted in,” Philp said. “Labour has completely lost control of our borders.”
This brings the total number of Channel crossings in 2025 to approximately 14,600—about 30% higher than the same period last year and the highest on record for the first five months of any year since tracking began in 2018.
Officials now warn that the UK could exceed the 2022 record of 45,755 crossings if the trend continues.
Criminal smuggling gangs remain central to these operations, often dangerously overloading boats.
At least 78 migrants have died attempting the crossing in 2024, making it the deadliest year to date, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Since 2018, no fewer than 225 migrants have died on the route.
While Starmer has vowed to “smash the gangs” behind the crossings, critics argue his administration has failed to deliver meaningful progress.
Philp cited Labour’s decision to scrap the Conservative-led Rwanda deportation policy as further evidence of failure.
Government sources admit that despite closer cooperation with French authorities and efforts to disrupt smuggling networks upstream, significant results may not be visible until 2026.
Calm weather conditions have also contributed to the spike, with more optimal crossing days reported compared to the same period in 2024.
Defence Secretary John Healey, speaking on Sky News, blamed the previous Conservative government for border failures, describing the current system as “in chaos.”
He acknowledged the difficulty of intercepting boats in shallow waters but said that enforcement would improve with upcoming policy changes.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also described the reliance on weather conditions as “unacceptable,” urging a coordinated international strategy to dismantle smuggling networks and stop the perilous crossings.
