Migrants crossing Channel so far in 2024 nears 10k

A total of 103 people made the crossing on Saturday bringing the total this year to 9,803

The Home Office says it is “unacceptable” that almost 10,000 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats this year.

A total of 103 people made the crossing in two boats on Saturday bringing the total so far this year to over 9,800. This does not include numbers from two boats arriving on Sunday.

That is higher than the total for the first five months of any year since current figures began in 2018.

A Home Office spokesperson said the figures show "exactly why we must get flights to Rwanda off the ground as soon as possible".

The previous record for the period January 1 to May 31 was 9,607, which was set in 2022.

The Labour Party says that its analysis of the Home Office figures shows that the number of people is up 36% on the same point last year and 13% higher than 2022.

Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said: “Thousands of people have crossed the Channel since the government’s Rwanda bill passed, with crossings up a third on last year already."

• How many people cross the Channel in small boats and how many claim asylum in the UK?

• Kent's sharp rise in lone asylum-seeking children

• What is the UK's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda and how many could go?

A Home Office spokesperson said it was working "closely" with French police to "prevent these dangerous, illegal and unnecessary journeys".

"We remain committed to building on the successes that saw arrivals drop by more than a third last year, including tougher legislation and agreements with international partners, in order to save lives and stop the boats," they added.

There were 29,437 arrivals across the whole of 2023, down 36% on a record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.