Channel Crossings Reach Historic High in UK History Under Labour
20th January 2026
The United Kingdom is facing an unprecedented surge in small boat migrant arrivals under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with more than 65,800 crossings recorded in his first 19 months in office. Since the start of the Channel crossing crisis in 2018, over 193,500 migrants have arrived, roughly equivalent to the population of Norwich.
In 2025 alone, over 41,474 migrants completed the 21-mile journey, with an additional 23,242 arrivals during Starmer’s first six months. Despite sub-zero conditions in Calais and Dover earlier this month, provisional figures indicate more than 900 have already crossed in 2026. Starmer’s daily average of 117 arrivals far exceeds Boris Johnson’s 58 per day, who reached 65,784 in 39 months.
The rising numbers have serious public safety implications. Analysis from the Centre for Migration Control (CMC) shows that migrants accounted for 79.3% of train theft arrests in 2024–2025, despite making up only 10% of the population. Migrants were also disproportionately involved in violent crimes, sexual offences, and drug-related arrests.