Starmer 'loses control' on immigration as 1,194 migrants cross Channel in a day

1 June 2025, 00:15 | Updated: 1 June 2025, 12:46

People thought to be migrants board a small boat leaving the beach at Gravelines, France, in an attempt to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel. Picture date: Saturday May 31, 2025. Picture: Alamy

By Alice Brooker

The Home Office has confirmed 1,194 asylum seekers reached the UK in 18 small boats yesterday.

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It's the biggest daily total so far in 2025 – with British and French rescue services forced to deploy 11 vessels and two aircraft.

The previous record for this year was 825.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp described the events as a "day of shame" for Labour, adding that maritime rescue services are "overwhelmed".

Earlier on Saturday, the coastguard had to issue an urgent appeal for the help of fishing boats due to being occupied rescuing migrants.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the Channel crossings have led to a "day of shame" for Labour. Picture date: Sunday March 9, 2025. Picture: Alamy

The latest crossings mean the total number of migrants who've crossed the Channel in 2025 has risen to more than 14,600, up 30 per cent on the same point last year, and the highest total for the first five months of a year since 2018.

The record for the highest number of people arriving in the UK after crossing the Channel in small boats in a single day is 1,305 people on 3 September 2022.

Mr Philp continued: “This is a day of shame for the Labour Government. Over 1,000 illegal immigrants in a single day, boats flooding the Channel, Border Force stretched beyond breaking point, and even fishing vessels drafted in because our maritime rescue services are overwhelmed.

A group of people thought to be migrants wait in the sea to board a small boat leaving the beach at Gravelines, France, in an attempt to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel. Picture date: Saturday May 31, 2025. Picture: Alamy

“A nation reduced to chaos on the high seas while Keir Starmer hides behind platitudes and process. Labour has completely lost control of our borders," he added.

“Their pledge to smash gangs in tatters. They scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even began, and now the boats won’t stop coming. So far, this is already the worst year on record. Labour have failed on every front, and they should hang their heads in shame.”

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has suggested the number of crossings has surged because of the higher number of good weather “red days” so far this year.