Given the unusually fine weather – coupled with the world’s many conflicts, and regions of endemic poverty – it should not come as a great surprise that yet another small boats record has been broken. New Home Office figures show that, since Labour came to power after the general election, more than 50,000 migrants have arrived in the UK via the English Channel.
A few weeks ago, the numbers of refugees and economic migrants arriving via the English Channel reached a record rate for the time of year – 25,000 by the end of July, and, thus, the fastest flow since 2018, when such movements were first monitored. The new headline figure is different, and even more “political”. At this rate, 2025 will set a new record for a calendar year.
