25,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year - almost half have come since Labour's general election victory just three months ago

GB News counted more than 1,400 small boat migrants as they arrived in Dover harbour over the weekend, taking the total since the beginning of the year to 25,000.

11,500 have now crossed in the space of just two and a half months since Labour won the general election.

The latest total is more than 1,000 ahead of the number of small boat migrants who arrived illegally in UK waters at this point last year.

The milestone figure is also just over 4,000 away from surpassing the grim tally of 29,437 reached by the end of 2023.

Despite heavy thunderstorms and blustery conditions in the Channel over the weekend, 707 migrants arrived in 11 small boats on Saturday.

On Sunday, GB News counted more than 700 others, mainly young men, as they were taken to the Border Force migrant processing centre at Dover Harbour.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.

“As we have seen with so many recent devastating tragedies in the Channel, the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay.

"We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.

“We are making progress, bolstering our personnel numbers in the UK and abroad. Our new Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnerships and enhance our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute these evil criminals.”

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One senior maritime security source said that people smuggling gangs were "taking increasing risks" in pushing migrant boats out into the English Channel, before conditions deteriorate over the Winter months.

Already this year, 47 migrants have died in multiple small boat tragedies.

Just over a week ago, eight migrants lost their lives when their small boat got into difficulties and came apart on rocks in the Pas-de-Calais.

Less than a fortnight before that tragedy, 12 migrants died in the worst loss of life since a mid-Channel sinking in 2021 led to the deaths of 27 migrants.

The security source said: "It's clear people smuggling gangs are prepared to push the limits with these already flimsy boats.

"This year, we've had close to 50 deaths, and we're not even into the most dangerous months.

"But what we're seeing now, is criminal gangs trying to take advantage of any half-chance to launch boats.

"And that means boats are entering the water when conditions are right on the limit of what's passable. It's extremely dangerous."

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to "smash the gangs" as part of a shift in focus on how best to end small boat crossings.

At the weekend, more than 30 people were arrested across the UK in a Home Office crackdown against people smugglers.

Immigration enforcement teams worked with the National Crime Agency, UK police forces and international partners to detain 31 suspects in various locations, including Belfast, Liverpool and Luton, as part of a three-day operation.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle said: “This Government will not stand by as criminal gangs exploit vulnerable people, risking their lives and giving them false hopes of a better life in the UK.

“We are taking the fight to them on all fronts, under the leadership of our new Border Security Commander.”

But with small boat crossings still running ahead of last year’s figures, and showing no signs of slowing down, any effort to dismantle the cross-Channel people smuggling trade will inevitably have to be a long-term endeavour.