The ‘small boats’ crisis has reached a grim new milestone, as more than 35,000 migrants are now known to have crossed the English Channel illegally in 2025. According to figures from GB News, at least 750 migrants alone arrived on Wednesday, October 8th.
As calmer weather allowed people smugglers to resume their operations from the French coast, Border Force and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution responded to multiple reports of migrant boats reaching UK waters, throughout the morning.
Maritime sources warn that with several more days of fair weather expected, crossings are likely to continue—pushing the annual total beyond last year’s figure within days.
Officials admit the situation has become “disastrous” for the Labour government’s promise to “smash the gangs.” Despite deals with France, Pakistan, and Albania, Home Office data show that only seven migrants have been sent back across the Channel this year.
Labour PM Keir Starmer faces mounting criticism over the surge. Since taking office, Britain has recorded the fastest increase in illegal Channel crossings in its history, alongside a record 111,000 asylum applications—the highest total since 2001. Meanwhile, Labour’s “deport now, appeal later” plan applies to barely 1% of ’small boat’ migrants detained and the “One-In, One-Out” deal with France so far yielded only a handful of returns.
With thousands still housed in hotels and no clear reduction in arrivals, it is clear that Starmer’s government has lost control of Britain’s borders.
