Minister insists UK borders are secure after undetected migrant landing

Defence minister Luke Pollard has insisted the Government has not lost control of the border after a migrant boat reached the Kent coast undetected, according to The Standard Politics. Five people were detained following the incident at Folkestone.

Defence minister Luke Pollard dismissed suggestions that border security had failed after a dinghy made it to shore without interception on Monday. Five individuals were detained by patrols and transferred to Border Security Command officers. According to The Standard Politics, this marks the first officially recorded undetected small boat landing in twelve months.

Our borders are secure, but we want to make them stronger

— Luke Pollard, Defence Minister, LBC Radio

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Pollard maintained that overall crossing figures are at their lowest point in six years. A Home Office investigation has been launched to determine how the vessel managed to bypass surveillance and reach Folkestone. Local police forces confirmed that coastguard alerts triggered a swift response from patrols after the boat touched down.

• Five individuals detained and passed to Border Security Command
• First undetected small boat landing recorded since September 2025
• Total Channel arrivals for 2026 down 46% compared to previous year
• Home Office confirms ongoing investigation into the security breach

Official figures show that 17,480 migrants have crossed the Channel by boat this year, with 5,011 arriving since Andy Burnham took office. Ministers insist that broader asylum backlog reductions and hotel closures prove current policies are functioning, despite the challenges highlighted by this rare coastal breach.

Investigations by Home Office officials into the Folkestone landing remain ongoing, with authorities declining further detailed comment while enquiries continue.

Original source: Read the full report at The Standard Politics