A new record has been set for the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in the first half of the year.
Some 19,982 people had arrived in the UK after making the dangerous crossing by the end of June, Home Office figures show.
This is 48% higher than the figure for the first six months of 2024, which was 13,489 people, and 75% higher than the equivalent figure for 2023, which was 11,433 people.
A Number 10 spokesman described the number as “clearly unacceptable”.
He said on Tuesday: “Let’s be clear, the rising numbers in recent years are because these [people smuggling] gangs have been allowed to embed industrial-scale smuggling enterprises across Europe.”
Some 879 migrants made the journey in 13 boats on Monday, the third highest number of arrivals on a single day in 2025.
The highest number of arrivals on one day so far this year is 1,195 on May 31.
The record for the highest number of arrivals on one day is 1,305, which took place on September 3, 2022.
Conservative MPs claimed the number of crossings had passed 20,000 people on Tuesday.
“One year into Labour’s Government and the boats haven’t stopped – they’ve multiplied,” shadow home secretary Chris Philp said.
“Labour tore up our deterrent and replaced it with fantasy. This is the worst year on record, and it’s become a free-for-all.
“We need a removals deterrent so every single illegal immigrant who arrives is removed to a location outside Europe.
“The crossings will then rapidly stop.”
But Downing Street hit back.
A spokesman said the problem requires “international solutions and international partnerships”, which is “what you’re seeing”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revealed in May that he is in talks with other countries about “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers.
It would mean processing some migrants outside of the UK before they are deported.
French officials have also agreed to changes that would allow police patrolling the coast to intercept small boats in shallow water and before they set sail for Britain.
The Government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is continuing through Parliament, which will hand counter-terror style powers to police and introduce new criminal offences to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.
“World-first” sanctions on people smuggling gangs are also set to come into force within months.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has accelerated plans to crack down on criminals who traffic migrants to Britain in small boats.
