Channel migrants: 20,000 cross into UK in small boats this year
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent
PA
Official Home Office figures show that up until yesterday, 19,800 migrants had arrived in small boats
However, GB News’s Kent producer has seen up to 300 migrants being brought into Dover Harbour on Border Force vessels – bringing the total so far this year to over 20,000.
It’s understood they crossed the Channel in at least 6 dinghies.
It comes as the Government insists its ‘Stop the Boats’ plan is working.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dungeness, KentPAOfficial sources point out that in August last year, 8,600 people crossed the Channel in small boats, compared to over 5,000 so far this August.
Persistent bad weather conditions in the Channel have made the waters impassable at many points so far this year.
Overall, the number of illegal migrants crossing the Channel this year is around 20 per cent down on the same period last year.
But maritime experts have told GB News that a run of flat calm days in the Channel could easily see that gap diminish in the next few weeks.
A picture of Channel crossing migrants arriving in KentPARishi Sunak has staked his premiership on ending the Channel crossing crisis after including stopping the boats as one of his five priorities after entering Downing Street last autumn.
However, the Prime Minister last week appeared to back-pedal on his commitment, warning the “complex” problem could not be solved "overnight".
He said: “I want it to be done as soon as possible but I also want to be honest with people that it is a complex problem, there is not one simple solution and that it can’t be solved overnight and I wouldn’t be being straight with people if I said that was possible.”
The Prime Minister’s plan to tackle illegal migration has experienced some additional bumps in the road in recent weeks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a visit to an immigration office in north west LondonPAThe Rwanda deportation policy remains in limbo after legal challenges were lodged.
Migrants aboard the Bibby Stockholm barge off the Dorset coast were also removed after traces of Legionella were found in the water supply.
Sunak added: “I am not complacent. I never said this would be easy, I never said it could be fixed overnight.
“We are going to attack it from every angle and not stop until we are done.”