More than 700 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel on Sunday in what marks the highest figure since Labour came to power, according to new figures.
Data from the Home Office revealed that 703 people were detected making the dangerous journey in 11 small boats on Sunday, making it the third-highest daily total this year. This suggests an average of 64 people per boat.
The total number of arrivals in small boats for 2024 now stands at a provisional 18,342. This figure is 13% higher than at the same point last year, when 16,170 had crossed, but is slightly lower than in 2022, which saw 18,978 crossings by this time.
The highest single-day figure for this year was recorded on June 18, when 882 people crossed the Channel, followed by 711 arrivals on May 1, both of which occurred before the general election on July 4.
