The number of undocumented migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the Channel in small boats has surpassed 30,000 so far this year, according to provisional data released

on Thursday (31).

The new figures highlight the continued struggle of the Labour government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to curb these crossings, a challenge also faced by the previous Conservative administration. Despite Starmer’s pre-election pledge to dismantle the criminal networks facilitating the crossings, the arrivals persist at high levels.

In 2024, a total of 30,431 migrants have reached southeast England’s shores from northern France. This includes 564 people who made the journey in 12 boats on Wednesday (30), bringing the total for October to nearly 5,200—one of the highest monthly figures recorded.

While last year saw almost 30,000 arrivals, this number was a decline from the record 45,774 crossings in 2022. The dangerous voyage across one of the world's busiest shipping routes has remained a major political issue in the UK, particularly during the July general election.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which ran a campaign heavily focused on anti-immigration policies, garnered around four million votes, a significant milestone for a far-right party.

Shortly after taking office, Starmer abandoned the Conservatives' contentious plan to send migrants to Rwanda and vowed to dismantle human smuggling operations. He has also established the UK’s new Border Security Command, headed by former police chief Martin Hewitt, to tackle the problem more effectively.

Tragically, dozens of migrants have died this year attempting to cross the Channel in overloaded dinghies, including fatalities reported on Wednesday. Photo by Lewis Clarke, Wikimedia commons.