Newly released figures have confirmed that migrant Channel crossings remained at near-record levels in 2025, delivering a significant blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's flagship pledge to tackle people-smuggling gangs.
Record-Breaking Numbers Defy Government Vows
The Home Office confirmed that a total of 41,472 people arrived in the UK via small boats in 2025. This represents the second-highest annual figure since records began in 2018, falling just 9% short of the 2022 peak of 45,774. The data reveals an embarrassing trend for the government, with the 2025 total marking a 13% increase on the 36,816 arrivals recorded in 2024 and a sharp 41% rise from the 2023 figure of 29,437.
Perhaps more politically damaging is the rate of arrivals under Sir Keir Starmer's premiership. After just 545 days in office, 64,714 people have made the crossing, averaging 118 per day. This puts him less than 1,000 arrivals away from surpassing the total seen during Boris Johnson's entire tenure, which saw 65,676 crossings over 1,140 days at an average of 57 daily.
Government Strategy Under Scrutiny
The government, which won the July 2024 election promising to 'smash the gangs', has faced mounting pressure over the persistent crisis. UK Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt admitted to MPs in October that the 2025 numbers were "frustrating", while emphasising that efforts to dismantle smuggling routes "were always going to take time".
In response, Labour has pushed through new legislation. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act became law in December, introducing new criminal offences and granting counter-terror style powers to target smuggling networks. Furthermore, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled sweeping asylum reforms in November, inspired by the Danish system, which would make refugee status temporary and extend the wait for permanent settlement from five to 20 years.
These plans have drawn criticism from both flanks. Some Labour MPs likened the proposals to policies advocated by Nigel Farage's Reform UK, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch argued they did not go far enough, insisting that leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was essential.
International Efforts and Ongoing Challenges
The government's strategy has also hinged on international cooperation. A pilot 'one in, one out' returns deal with France, active since August, has seen 193 migrants returned to France, with 195 arriving via safe routes. However, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed the scheme as "no deterrent at all", citing cases where removed migrants later returned.
Operational challenges have intensified. French police have recently refused to intercept departing boats following legal warnings from unions, potentially easing the path for crossings. Tragically, the perilous journey claimed at least 17 lives in 2025 according to UK and French authorities, with the International Organisation for Migration reporting a wider death toll of 36 linked to UK-bound travel from Europe.
Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, criticised the government's approach, stating: "No-one risks their life on a flimsy boat in the Channel except out of desperation." He called for a multi-pronged strategy focusing on gangs, international cooperation, and expanded safe legal routes.
As the government moves to end hotel housing for asylum seekers by 2029, the human and political costs of the crisis continue to mount. With arrivals still averaging over 62 people per dangerously overcrowded boat, the central promise of Starmer's government faces its most public and persistent test.
