Burnham pledges to be 'relentless' in curbing small boat crossings
Summary
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his government will work hard to reduce the number of people coming to the UK on small boats. He mentioned increased efforts to stop smuggling gangs on both sides of the English Channel and the need to create safe legal routes for migrants.Key Facts
- The UK government has nearly doubled the number of officers working to catch people-smuggling gangs, with almost 800 National Crime Agency officers now involved.
- There has also been a doubling of French officers working on the same issue.
- Between January and July 2026, 14,128 people crossed the English Channel by small boat, which is 42% fewer than the previous year.
- Small boat arrivals made up 42% of UK asylum applications from April 2025 to March 2026.
- Most people arriving by small boat claim asylum and are allowed to stay while their case is reviewed.
- Overcrowded boats have made crossings dangerous, causing at least 84 deaths in 2024.
- People from Eritrea made up 18% of small boat arrivals in the year ending March 2026.
- About 2,000 small boat arrivals in 2025 were identified as possible victims of human trafficking or modern slavery.
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