Andy Burnham’s first fortnight as PM plagued by 2,000 Channel migrant crossings despite crackdown

Andy Burnham has been skewered over his handling of Britain's migrant crisis after 2,000 migrants crossed the English Channel during the first fortnight of his premiership.

Figures show 326 asylum seekers arrived in four dinghies on Sunday, bringing the number up to 2,057 since the former Greater Manchester mayor took over from Sir Keir Starmer on July 20.

The provisional total for 2026 so far is 14,526 – enough to fill Centre Court in Wimbledon.

Meanwhile, around 7,000 Africans remain at large in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta after 60,000 people attempted to storm into Europe from Morocco on Friday, sparking fears many will soon try to cross the Channel.

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The damning revelations came to light as the National Crime Agency confirmed the number of officers tackling organised immigration crime had doubled over the past year, from 376 to almost 800.

The Government body contributed to nearly 300 arrests last year targeting people-smuggling gangs.

Meanwhile, the NCA and international partners have seized more than 1,100 vessels and engines bound for human traffickers since the 2024 general election.

The Prime Minister is visiting Dover's Joint Command Room today to witness the work the NCA and Border Security Command are doing to protect England’s shores.

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On Friday, he claimed Labour’s plan to “stop the boats” is working, with net migration surging to a record high of 944,000 in the year ending March 2023 before dropping to 649,000 in June 2024.

Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secetary, admitted: "There is more to be done, but this Government is restoring control at our border."

NCA Director General of Operations, Rob Jones, added: “Our message to the gangs is clear – moving people in small boats and supplying equipment gets riskier for you by the day, and we will not stop in our pursuit of you, wherever you are and wherever you operate.”

Wednesday marked the busiest day for small boat crossings so far this year, with 752 foreigners arriving from France.

Senior Border Force officials have hit out at the "inconsistent" response of French police to small boat crossings despite striking a new £662million small boats deal.

A Home Office spokesman said: “This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings, with removals of small boat migrants at record levels and asylum claims down by 12 per cent... (and) we have removed or deported almost 70,000 people who were here illegally, an increase of 41 per cent, and are going further to remove the incentives that draw illegal migrants to this country.

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