Greater than 35,000 migrants have arrived within the UK by crossing the Channel in small boats to this point this yr, the most recent figures present.

On Saturday, 160 folks made the journey from France in three boats, bringing the whole for this yr to 35,040 – 20% increased than final yr.

The variety of small boat crossings for the entire of 2023 was 29,437, which was surpassed on 25 October this yr when the whole for 2024 reached 29,578.

Figures for the week main as much as Saturday present there have been no small boat arrivals between Saturday 7 and Wednesday 11 December.

Politics newest: ‘When you’re right here illegally, we wish you to depart’, says Dwelling Workplace minister

Nonetheless, 609 folks made the crossing in 9 small boats on Thursday – making it the busiest December day for crossings on report.

An extra 298 folks made the journey in 5 small boats on Friday.

The Dwelling Workplace introduced as we speak that 13,460 migrants had been faraway from the UK since Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Get together received a landslide election victory in July.

The Labour authorities has stated this implies extra migrants have been faraway from the nation because it was elected than in another six-month interval over the previous 5 years.

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In an interview on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, border safety minister Dame Angela Eagle stated Thursday’s excessive determine was partially attributable to “pent-up demand” for the “industrialised folks smuggling gangs” after 5 days of no boats.

Requested what the federal government is doing to sort out folks smuggling gangs, Dame Angela stated: “I am not going to take a seat right here and say that, if you’re introduced with one thing that is this properly established and this refined, that I can get out a magic wand and wave it and it will all be okay in 5 months.

“This can be a robust job. It should take time to do it, it is going to take good operational cooperation, good cross-border policing.”

She refused to provide a date for when the federal government needs to get numbers down, or what number of they wish to scale back them by.

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The minister stated the federal government has performed “numerous worldwide work”, together with beginning to promote in international locations the place numerous migrants are arriving from to indicate them how victims of individuals smuggling are handled.

She added: “When you’re right here illegally, we wish you to depart.

“When you’re right here illegally and you do not have the precise to be right here, please go away voluntarily. We could even help you to depart voluntarily.

“When you’re right here and you will not go away, we’ll implement your leaving in the long run.”