Channel calm shattered as HUNDREDS of small boat migrants arrive in Britain after 28-day lull

Throughout the day, French and UK maritime assets have responded to around a dozen migrant boats, as they took advantage of a break in weather conditions to make the illegal crossing.

The news of a fresh surge in Channel migrants comes as some Labour politicians and supporters hailed the lack of any arrivals for weeks as an indication the Government's 'smash the gangs' policy was beginning work.

Before this morning's boat launches, Border Force recorded 28 days in row since the last small boat migrants managed to successfully cross the Channel, the longest spell without migrant activity since 2018.

Tristan Osborne, the Labour MP for Chatham in Kent, posted on the X platform: "A long way to go for sure… But finally we are seeing the heavy work paying off.

"Under @UKLabour the longest stretch without boat crossings since the @Conservatives surge started."

Maritime security sources have told GB News the lack of any migrant arrivals over the past month was a "definite result of bad weather conditions".

One source said: "It's certainly been an unusually long spell without small boat activity.

"But the winds are at the root of this. Not only have they mainly been too strong for the migrant dinghies to make headway, they've also often being blowing in the wrong direction.

"It's a mistake to conclude that it's the war on people smugglers that's making the impact on crossings.

"Today is the perfect illustration of what we have been expecting for some time. The second the winds ease enough to allow crossings, the people smugglers are back out there in force."

So far this year, 39,294 migrants have made the illegal crossing.

That figure is well ahead of the 36,816 who crossed in the whole of last year.

However, the past month of bad weather is likely to mean the Government will be spared the embarrassment of an all-time record number of migrant crossings by the end of this year.

The Border Force vessel Hurricane arrived into Dover harbour with the first load of migrants to make the illegal crossing for more than 28 days.

That vessel, Hurricane, arrived into Dover at 10:30am on Saturday.

The record currently stands at 45,755 at the end of 2022.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The number of small boat crossings are shameful and the British people deserve better.

“This Government is taking action. We have removed almost 50,000 people who were here illegally, and our historic deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.

“The Home Secretary has announced the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in decades, removing the incentives that bring illegal migrants to the UK and scaling up the return of those with no right to be here.”