In the first half of 2024, the UK saw a record number of migrants arriving by boat across the Channel. According to the latest data from the interior ministry, 13,489 people made the dangerous journey between January and June this year. This is an 18% increase compared to the same period last year, when 11,433 migrants arrived.
These numbers highlight the challenge facing the new Labour government as it works to manage the influx of arrivals. This comes after more than a week of unrest across England and Northern Ireland, where protests against immigration saw some groups chanting “stop the boats.” This phrase was a promise from former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who lost to Labour’s Keir Starmer in last month’s general election.
The unrest followed a tragic knife attack on children that was wrongly attributed to an asylum seeker. The new figures show that 81% of migrants arriving without legal permission to enter the UK this year arrived by small boats from mainland Europe.
Since officials began tracking these crossings in 2018, the number of migrants arriving by boat has risen significantly. Back then, only 11 people made the journey in the first half of the year. Now, over 133,000 have arrived, with 70% of them being men and around 20% being under 18.
Among the migrants arriving this year, Afghans make up the largest group at 18%, followed by Iranians (13%), Vietnamese (10%), Turkish (10%), and Syrians (9%).
The data also shows that the average number of people per boat has increased. In the year ending June 2019, there were about 10 people per boat. By the year ending June 2023, this number had grown to 44, and it has now reached 51.
UK authorities have warned that smuggling gangs are adapting their methods, using larger boats and carrying more people. Labour leader Keir Starmer has promised to tackle these gangs as part of his strategy, replacing the previous Conservative plan to deport migrants to Rwanda.
On a positive note, there has been some progress in reducing the asylum backlog. The number of people waiting for an initial decision on their application has decreased by about a third over the past year.
