Britain has seen its first successful boat migrant crossings in ten days, with nearly 500 arriving.
Britain has seen its first successful boat migrant crossings in ten days, with nearly 500 arriving. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Around 500 boat migrants crossed the English Channel and arrived in Britain in a single day, ending a ten-day pause in small boat arrivals. Seven vessels reached British waters on Thursday, with 494 migrants brought to the Border Security Command compound in Dover, Kent, marking the first crossings since August 17, when approximately 250 migrants arrived. DETAIL: The latest arrivals come after a series of increasingly large migrant boats have crossed the Channel, including a record-setting “mega-dinghy” carrying 230 people earlier this month. More than 77,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour…Open
A poll has revealed that a plurality of Britons support standing up to France to address illegal migrant crossings in the English Channel.
A poll has revealed that a plurality of Britons support standing up to France to address illegal migrant crossings in the English Channel. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: A plurality of around four in 10 Britons believe that the British government needs to take a tougher stance against France to address illegal migrant crossings in the English Channel, according to polling data. Significantly, Britain has paid hundreds of millions of pounds to France to stop the crossings, but the number of interceptions has actually declined . DETAIL: According to a poll conducted by YouGov, the largest polling firm in Britain, 41 percent of Britons think their government should take a tougher stance against France. By contrast, 35 percent supported a…Open
France's interception rate of migrant boats has fallen despite a £660 million deal with the United Kingdom to stop crossings.
The deal between the United Kingdom and France to curb illegal Channel crossings is failing, with interception rates actually falling. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: France’s interception rate of migrant boats in the English Channel has fallen, despite a £660 million (~$900m) deal with the United Kingdom to stop the. DETAIL: According to British Home Office data released on Friday, the interception rate of illegal migrants attempting to cross the English Channel from France is 60.7 percent. The funds provided by the British government were intended to pay for additional officers as well as drones, helicopters, and camera systems. However, despite this funding, the interception rate has marginally increased, with smugglers now adopting…Open
A record-breaking mega dinghy carrying 230 illegal migrants reached Britain overnight as weekend Channel crossings topped 950, prompting Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage to warn that daily arrivals could soon reach into the thousands.
A record-breaking mega dinghy carrying 230 illegal migrants reached Britain overnight as weekend Channel crossings topped 950, prompting Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage to warn that daily arrivals could soon reach into the thousands. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: A single mega dinghy carrying a record 230 illegal migrants crossed the English Channel to Britain overnight. More than 950 boat migrants reached Dover over the weekend overall. DETAIL: The vessel broke the previous single-boat record of 165 and is large enough to hold roughly the same number of people as a Boeing 737. Calmer seas after a recent pause in arrivals allowed people smugglers to recommence launching boats from the French coast. Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage…Open
Migrant crossings to Britain are expected to rise as smugglers adapt their tactics, and favorable weather conditions persist in the English Channel.
Migrant crossings to Britain are expected to rise as smugglers adapt their tactics, and favorable weather conditions persist in the English Channel. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Hundreds of migrants have reportedly been seen traveling by trains and buses from Calais and Dunkirk along France’s northern coastline, where people-smuggling gangs have increasingly launched small boats towards Britain from further and further away to avoid heightened enforcement along traditional crossing routes. DETAIL: Migrants are reportedly able to travel in large groups without ticket checks or intervention from French authorities frequently, and favorable weather conditions could lead to another wave of Channel crossings in the coming days. Smuggling …Open
Reform UK Chairman Lee Anderson criticizes French authorities after being blocked from investigating migrant crossings on the northern French coastline.
Reform UK Chairman Lee Anderson was blocked from investigating migrant boat crossings to England from the French coastline. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Reform UK Chairman Lee Anderson said he was stopped by heavily armed French police during an early morning visit to Loon-Plage in northern France on Tuesday, claiming officers checked identification and prevented his team from accessing the beach minutes after they arrived for a fact-finding mission on small boat crossings . DETAIL: Anderson contrasted the police response to him with their often weak or non-existent response to illegal migrants gathering on the French beaches to launch boats toward Britain in an interview with the British media. After visiting a migrant camp …Open
A vessel carrying a record-breaking number of illegal migrants has arrived in the United Kingdom, just days into new Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office.
A record-breaking number of illegal migrants have arrived in the United Kingdom on a single boat, highlighting the escalating scale of the country’s illegal immigration crisis under Prime Minister Andy Burnham. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: A vessel carrying a record-breaking number of illegal migrants across the English Channel has arrived in the United Kingdom, just days into new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s premiership. DETAIL: On Thursday, a vessel was intercepted by the United Kingdom’s Border Security Command. It was then taken to Dover on the southern coast of England, carrying a record-breaking 165 illegal migrants . The vessel was reportedly overcrowded and taking on water. Despite this, it was sent out to sea. French…Open
Over 200,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel on small boats since 2018, according to British government figures.
The number of migrants crossing the English Channel on small boats since 2018 has crossed 200,000. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Over 200,000 boat migrants have crossed the English Channel to the United Kingdom since 2018, according to British government figures. DETAIL: In 2018, only 299 migrants traveled to the United Kingdom on small boats. In 2019, the number of illegal crossings rose to 1,843. The influx increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, peaking at 45,774 crossings in 2022. Overall, the number of boat migrants surpassed the 200,000 threshold after 70 migrants were intercepted crossing the Channel on Friday morning. KEY QUOTE: “This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings. The Home Secretary has signed a…Open