Channel crossings have hit record levels again, sparking fierce debate across the country as frustration mounts over how the crisis is being handled. With more small boats arriving and tens of thousands of people making the journey illegally each year, many are now asking whether the word “invasion” is an accurate way to describe what’s happening on our shores.
Plenty of people feel it is, and they’re not shying away from saying so, even if it ruffles feathers in Parliament or on social media. The picture they paint is stark: mostly young men, many in their 20s and 30s, arriving without permission and immediately tapping into a wide range of taxpayer-funded services. It’s not just a roof over their heads either – it’s hotel stays, access to social housing, three meals a day, private medical appointments right at the hotel, free dentistry, local transport, internet access, phones, and even spending money.
