Number of migrants crammed onto Channel dinghies soars under Labour despite boat crossings fall

Migrant dinghies are becoming more crammed despite channel crossings hitting a seven-year low, according to GB News. Smuggling gangs are packing more people onto fewer vessels under the current administration.

Dinghies transporting illegal migrants to Britain are becoming increasingly packed, even though the total number of small boat crossings has fallen to its lowest point since 2019. Between June and August this year, 102 small boats made the journey across the English Channel, compared to 57 vessels in 2019.

However, while the overall number of boats has declined, criminal smuggling gangs have shifted tactics by loading more individuals onto fewer, larger vessels. GB News revealed that Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s daily average for arrivals stands at 130 during the first 22 days following his transition into office on July 20.

Data released by the Home Office shows that boats arriving between August 28, 2025, and August 27, 2026, carried an average of 68 people—a figure that has more than doubled since 2021. A total of 7,371 people crossed the Channel over the summer months, representing the lowest summer total since 2020.

This Government is committed to restoring order at our border. This work is beginning to bear fruit, with June, July and August recording the lowest number of small boat crossings in seven years. But we know there is more to do.

— Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary, GB News

• 102 small boats crossed between June and August
• Average boat occupancy reached 68 people
• Daily average arrivals under the Prime Minister stand at 130
• Asylum hotel usage dropped to 16,021

The Home Office attributed part of the decline to the UK-France enforcement deal, which has prevented over 48,000 crossing attempts since 2024. Additionally, the National Crime Agency and international partners have seized more than 1,100 boats and engines.

Home Office spending on asylum decreased by eight per cent to £4.36 billion for 2025/26, marking the second consecutive annual fall. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Downing Street for face-to-face talks focused on tackling small boat crossings.

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p class=”source-link”>Original source: Read the full report at GB News