The Times

Channel crossings in small boats top 25,000 in record time

Guardian

Channel crossings in 2025 pass 25,000 – faster than any year since records began

BBC News

Small boats crossings hit 25,000 for the year

Daily Mail

Proof that Starmer's 'smash the gangs' campaign is a joke: Small boat migrant tally hits 25,000 in record time

Sky News

Small boat Channel arrivals pass 25,000 - the earliest in year figure has been reached so far

Independent

Number of migrants crossing Channel in small boats hits 25,000 in record time

The Telegraph

Channel migrant crossings hit 25,400 mark earlier than in any year on record

GOV.UK

Small boat arrivals: last 7 days

Home Office

Latest statement in response to small boat crossings  Home Office in the media

English Channel crossings pass 25,000 arrivals in record time

Metaculus

Will small boat crossings drop by at least half during the 59th parliament term?

Nigel Farage

Richard Tice

The UK Government

Chris Philp

Lee Anderson

Lucy Moreton

Lee Harris

Patrick Christys

Allison Pearson

Bob Blackman

"Starmer has no intention of stopping the boats."

Starmer's "track record, Labour's track record, the Home Secretary's track record and their actions here in Britain suggest there is no desire, or plan, to actually stop the boats."

"The boats will come, and numbers are likely to continue rising."

Starmer is "on track to smash the record for small boat crossings, with numbers up 44%."

"Labour has no intention of doing this [reducing small boat crossings], and Martin Hewitt is the perfect example of their lack of action."

"It [small boat crossings] is 38% worse than the previous worst year, so things are getting worse, not better."

"It [reduction in small boat crossings] can be done if there's the political will."

"[W]e will stop at nothing to dismantle their [people-smuggling gangs] business models [illegal small boat crossings] and bring them to justice."

Will Labour Reduce Small Boat Crossings in the English Channel?

<span>The 25,000 milestone was reached earlier in 2025 than any previous year since records began in 2018, with arrivals 51% higher than the same period in 2024 when 16,842 people had crossed.</span

The 25,000 milestone was reached earlier in 2025 than any previous year since records began in 2018, with arrivals 51% higher than the same period in 2024 when 16,842 people had crossed.

<span>The average number of people per boat has increased to 59 in 2025, up from 53 in 2024 and 49 in 2023, representing the highest average on record for Channel crossings in small boats.</span

The average number of people per boat has increased to 59 in 2025, up from 53 in 2024 and 49 in 2023, representing the highest average on record for Channel crossings in small boats.

<span>Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a "one in, one out" pilot program where migrants will be returned to France in exchange for asylum seekers coming through legal routes.</span

Al Jazeera

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a "one in, one out" pilot program where migrants will be returned to France in exchange for asylum seekers coming through legal routes.

<span>Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the government's approach, stating that fewer than 500 small-boat migrants have been charged with entering the UK illegally since Labour took power.</span

Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the government's approach, stating that fewer than 500 small-boat migrants have been charged with entering the UK illegally since Labour took power.

<span>The National Crime Agency announced it worked with Bulgarian authorities to seize 25 small boats intended for Channel crossings, representing the largest single detection of boats in 2025.</span

The National Crime Agency announced it worked with Bulgarian authorities to seize 25 small boats intended for Channel crossings, representing the largest single detection of boats in 2025.

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<h2></h2>

UK Elections: Immigration

Refugee and migrant crossings to UK hit record high by end of July

United Kingdom

Immigration & refugees

The government is implementing comprehensive measures to tackle people-smuggling networks through enhanced international cooperation and new enforcement powers. Recent actions include seizing boats, sanctioning smugglers, and establishing specialized units to disrupt criminal operations at their source.

<span>The government is implementing comprehensive measures to tackle people-smuggling networks through enhanced international cooperation and new enforcement powers. Recent actions include seizing boats, sanctioning smugglers, and establishing specialized units to disrupt criminal operations at their source.</span>

UK Channel Crossings Hit 25,000 in Record Time for 2025

RefugeeUK andChannel migrantCrossings crossingsHit to25,000 UKin hitRecord recordTime highfor by end of July2025

The Spin

The Controversies

Farage

Christys

Moreton

Blackman

Anderson

Philp

Pearson

Government

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