A UK government minister has conceded that efforts to curb the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats have so far fallen short, as the tally since Labour took office is on course to exceed 50,000.
Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith acknowledged the situation was “a problem that, up to this point, we haven’t managed to tackle”, but insisted responsibility lay with the previous administration.
“The last government enabled this hideous criminal activity to really get its roots across Europe,” she said, adding that there is now “really important action being taken to tackle it.”
The comments come as ministers intensify measures aimed at reducing illegal migration, responding to mounting public frustration over the issue. On Friday, the government confirmed that its “one in, one out” returns agreement with France was now operational.
The Home Office has also widened its “deport now, appeal later” policy, under which foreign criminals can be removed before their appeals are heard.
Despite these moves, the government has yet to stem the growing tide of crossings. Latest Home Office figures show that 49,797 people have reached British shores via small boats since Labour’s election victory last year.
For comparison, it took former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 603 days in office to pass the 50,000 mark, while Boris Johnson reached the same milestone in 1,066 days, a period spanning the Covid-19 pandemic.
When challenged with the current figures during an interview, Baroness Smith reiterated: “This is a problem that has, up to this point, we haven’t managed to tackle in terms of the numbers who are coming here.”
However, she maintained that the roots of the crisis were firmly embedded by her predecessors.
“It is a completely legitimate claim to say that what is happening is the result of the last government who chose to focus on gimmicks, the Rwanda scheme which returned four volunteers.“We’re taking responsibility. I don’t believe it was our fault that it was enabled to take root in the way in which it has done by a government who failed to do what was necessary.”
Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith
When pressed on when the rising numbers would become Labour’s responsibility, Baroness Smith declined to specify.
She instead pointed to the government’s international engagement and legislative changes as evidence of a different approach. “What I’m pointing out is that we’ve taken our responsibility to work internationally, to change the law… the last government did none of those things and focused on gimmicks.”
She argued that such neglect had allowed the criminal networks driving the crossings to become entrenched.
“It’s because of that that the crime behind this got embedded in the way in which it did and that won’t be solved overnight. And we’re absolutely clear about that responsibility.”
Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith
Small Boat Arrivals Persist Despite Government Efforts
Curbing small boat arrivals has been placed at the heart of Labour’s policy platform. Yet, with crossings hitting record levels and the asylum backlog still exceeding 75,000 cases, ministers face growing demands for stronger action, pressures compounded by the rising popularity of Reform UK in opinion polls.
The government hopes that its latest initiatives will help reverse the trend, amid escalating political and public tensions. In recent weeks, protests have erupted nationwide against the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, resulting in several arrests.
Figures released last month indicated that more than 25,000 people had crossed the Channel so far this year, the earliest in any calendar year since records began in 2018, and that the milestone had been reached.
With arrivals continuing at pace and frustration mounting, the government is under increasing pressure to show results quickly, or risk the crisis overshadowing other priorities on its agenda.
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