The Home Office has announced an additional £100 million in funding to deter Channel crossings, including support for a new returns agreement with France. The money will fund up to 300 more National Crime Agency officers, along with new technology and equipment to enhance intelligence-gathering on people-smuggling gangs.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the funding would 'turbo-charge' law enforcement efforts to track and dismantle criminal networks. The announcement follows a record number of small boat arrivals in 2025, with over 25,000 people crossing the Channel so far this year.
Protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers have intensified. In Islington, north London, nine people were arrested after clashes between protesters and counter-protesters outside the Thistle City Barbican hotel. In Canary Wharf, more than 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Britannia International hotel, with chants of 'send them home' and flares set off. Police reported that a group harassed occupants and staff, attempted to block deliveries, and tried to breach fencing.
The 'one in, one out' deal with France allows the UK to send people back in exchange for asylum seekers with links to Britain. Critics question its deterrent effect, noting it may involve only up to 50 people per week.
Separately, Oxford University researchers found that £20 billion was spent on migrant-welcoming schemes over the past decade, including a £10 billion overspend on asylum accommodation, with minimal focus on integration. Jacqueline Broadhead of the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society urged the government to invest more in community cohesion.
The government also announced plans to introduce a new offence for advertising irregular small boat crossings and a fast-track scheme to reduce the asylum backlog, aiming for decisions within weeks.
