More than 10,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Britain in small boats this year, highlighting a significant challenge for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of the July 4 national election.

Updated government data on Saturday showed that 10,170 people had arrived between January and May 25, up from 7,395 during the same period last year.

Although the number of people landing on England's southern beaches after making the perilous Channel crossing fell by a third in 2023, the current year's figures underscore the ongoing issue. "We continue to work closely with our French partners to prevent crossings and save lives," said an interior ministry spokesperson in response to the surge.

Sunak, who announced the election date on Wednesday, later stated that asylum seekers arriving illegally would not be deported to Rwanda before the vote, casting doubt on one of his Conservative Party's flagship policies. This plan has faced legal obstacles for over two years, and the opposition Labour Party, currently leading in opinion polls by about 20 points and likely to end 14 years of Conservative rule, has pledged to scrap the policy if they win.

Labour's shadow immigration minister, Stephen Kinnock, criticized Sunak's government for not doing enough to address the issue. "Because all the government's efforts are now focused on getting a few hundred people flown to Rwanda, they have lost sight of the thousands more who are crossing the Channel every month," Kinnock said in a statement.

Labour has proposed creating a Border Security Command if elected. This new entity would combine staff from the police, the domestic intelligence agency, and prosecutors to work with international agencies to combat people smuggling. Photo by Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, Wikimedia commons.