Britain’s small boat crisis! More than 13,0000 migrants have crossed the English Channel during Labour’s first 100 days in power _ Hieuuk
More than 13,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats during Labour‘s first 100 days in power.
Official figures show 13,038 asylum seekers on 231 boats have arrived on British shores since July 5, the day after the election.
It means one migrant has arrived by small boat every 12 minutes on average under Labour, which marks its 100th day in power today.
Among the staggering tally was a daily record of 973 migrants who successfully completed the dangerous crossing last Saturday.
The figures lay bare the failure of Sir Keir Starmer to get a grip of the issue quickly and ‘smash’ the people smuggling gangs after ditching the Rwanda deportation scheme.
An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants crosses the English Channel on August 6 (file photo)
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper holds a speech during the Labour Party Conference 2024
Migrants attempting to cross the English Channel on an inflatable dinghy on September 4 (file photo)
They also suggest former Tory PM Rishi Sunak was right to claim during the election campaign that thousands of migrants were ‘queueing up’ in Calais in anticipation of an incoming Labour government poised to ditch the Rwanda scheme.
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Ditching the Rwanda scheme was one of Sir Keir’s first acts as PM.
He has instead launched a new Border Security Command, headed by former police chief Martin Hewitt, to tackle smuggling gangs upstream on the Continent.
However, critics of the plan say it relies too heavily on cooperation from European leaders such as French president Emmanuel Macron, who it is feared is happy to effectively wave migrants through to punish Britain for Brexit.
In its manifesto, Labour branded the Rwanda scheme a ‘gimmick’ and pledged to ‘stop the chaos and go after the criminal gangs who trade in driving this crisis.’
It also said it would set up a new returns and enforcement unit, with an additional 1,000 staff, to fast-track removals to safe countries for people who do not have the right to stay here.
An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants is escorted by a French Warship across the English Channel towards British Waters on March 6 (file photo)
Secretary of State for the Home Department Yvette Cooper attends the Labour Party Conference
But Danny Kruger, the Tory MP for East Wiltshire, said: ‘The only way to stop them (small boats) is to detain and deport all illegal arrivals, either back to their own country or to a safe third country like Rwanda.
‘The government is putting its faith in the European Union to stop the boats for us. They won’t.’
Louie French, the Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, said: ‘Countries across Europe are now looking at schemes similar to Rwanda to act as a deterrent to the illegal and highly dangerous people smuggling trade.
‘Labour have instead put a welcome sign on the cliffs of Dover.’
