The number of migrants crossing the English Channel to the UK surged by 25% in 2024, reaching 36,816 people, according to Home Office figures. This marks the second-highest annual total since records began in 2018 and reflects a stark failure to curb illegal migration under the leadership of both the Labour and Conservative parties.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, slammed the current government’s approach, accusing it of exacerbating the crisis. “Only by sending people back do we stop them coming,” Farage told GB News. He called for a “turn back the boats” strategy akin to Australia’s Operation Sovereign Borders.
“Tony Abbott in Australia was told he couldn’t do anything about the boats coming from Indonesia, but he towed them back, and the boats stopped coming. We must do the same,” Farage added, dismissing Labour’s reliance on targeting smuggling gangs as insufficient.
Immigration is fast becoming one of the biggest political issues in the UK. Observers linked the previous Conservative government’s huge defeat in the July 2024 election with their inability to control Britain’s borders. That election also saw the rise of Reform UK, which campaigned for much tougher policies.
The latest immigration surge follows Labour prime minister Keir Starmer’s decision to scrap the previous government’s Rwanda deportation scheme immediately after Labour’s election victory in July. Since then, 23,242 migrants crossed the Channel—a 29% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp called the rise “an insult to the British people,” blaming Labour for losing control of Britain’s borders—ignoring his own party’s record in government.
Labour’s focus on international co-operation and law enforcement has yet to produce results. Starmer acknowledged inheriting a “bad position” but critics argue his policies are making matters even worse.
The crossings have also proven deadly, with 2024 being the most lethal year on record. At least 77 people died attempting the journey, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
Farage concluded: “We are full of arguments about why we can’t act. It’s time for arguments on why we can.”
