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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Alicja Hagopian

Starmer and Macron are up against a small boats crisis – but how many migrants cross the Channel and who gets turned away?

Migration on small boats across the English Channel is on track to reach its highest-ever levels this year, with numbers breaking records even before the summer peak begins.

More than 21,000 migrants have already crossed the Channel from France this year – up 55 per cent from the same period in 2024 – meaning Sir Keir Starmer is on track to oversee the highest year for small boats migration to the UK on record.

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