2 godzin temu
The milestone of 50,000 migrants crossing the English Channel has been reached just 13 months into Sir Keir Starmer's (Labour) premiership. The figure was passed on August 11, marking day 403 of his time in office since Labour won the general election on July 4, 2025.
This represents a significantly faster timeline than his Conservative predecessor Rishi Sunak, who took 610 days to reach the same milestone on June 25, 2024. The 207-day difference highlights the escalating pace of Channel crossings under the current government.
During previous Conservative leaderships, the patterns varied considerably. Boris Johnson reached 50,000 crossings on day 1,066 of his premiership in June 2022, whilst 10,532 migrants arrived during Liz Truss's brief 49-day tenure.
Sharp acceleration under Labour
At the equivalent 403-day point of Sunak's premiership, only 36,079 migrants had made the crossing. This stark contrast demonstrates the accelerated rate of arrivals since Labour took power.
Crossings have surged 47% compared to the same period in 2024, with 27,029 arrivals recorded so far this year. The trend reflects increasingly dangerous journeys as criminal gangs pack more people into each vessel.
Average boat capacity has risen dramatically from seven people in 2018 to 59 people in 2025. This overcrowding represents a significant safety concern as traffickers maximise profits regardless of passenger welfare.
Government response measures
The Government has implemented a new "one in, one out" deal with France featuring a three-day UK referral target and 14-day French response time. According to the Evening Standard and Mirror, officials have begun detaining migrants under this arrangement earlier in August.
Recent arrivals continue at high levels, with the Mirror reporting 474 migrants crossing by small boat on Monday alone. The Government acknowledges the situation whilst facing Conservative criticism over border control effectiveness.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Evening Standard", "Mirror" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
