Channel Crossings Surge: 1,659 Arrive in Just Three Days
More than 1,600 migrants have landed in Dover over the past three days alone, with 1,075 braving the Channel in 15 dinghies on Wednesday. This dangerous surge pushes this year’s total to over 36,000, according to the latest Home Office figures.
The numbers are piling up fast, marking a humiliating setback for Labour’s ‘one in, one out’ policy aimed at tackling the crisis.
The Numbers Soar: 58,718 Migrants Since Labour Took Power
- 36,060 migrants have crossed the Channel so far in 2025.
- Total crossings since Labour took office now stand at 58,718.
- Wednesday was the fourth occasion this year when daily arrivals exceeded 1,000.
People-smuggling gangs have stepped up their game, deploying huge 40ft ‘mega-dinghies’ packing even more migrants into perilous crossings.
‘One In, One Out’ Scheme Struggles to Make a Dent
The government’s flagship response—a ‘one in, one out’ removal plan launched over two months ago—has so far only managed to deport 26 people, despite more than 10,000 migrants arriving in that time.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer scrapped the Tory’s controversial Rwanda asylum deal early in his tenure, a move critics say dismantled a key deterrent.
Labour insists the current scheme will deter traffickers and break gang tactics. Yet legal hurdles and limited removals have hampered its impact, with experts warning it only removes about 50 migrants a week — nowhere near enough.
Political Fallout and Calls for Tougher Action
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood defends the new Franco-British deal, saying: “In a matter of weeks, we’ve returned 26 through our historic agreement with France. We must end these dangerous crossings that put lives at risk and enrich criminals.”
But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp blasted the policy as a “massive con” and demanded Britain leave the European Convention on Human Rights to speed up deportations:
“Since the deal became operational, over 10,000 illegal immigrants have crossed, but Labour have removed just 26. This won’t deter anyone. We need real reform to send people home in days.”
With migrants now laughing off French patrols and packing boats to dangerous levels, the Channel crossing crisis shows no signs of slowing down.
