Migrants have been pictured arriving in Dover on Saturday after the longest period without any small boat crossings in seven years.
Photos appeared to show dozens of migrants wearing life jackets being brought in to Dover, Kent, aboard a Border Force vessel.
Before the weekend, no migrants had made the journey for four weeks, according to Home Office figures. The last recorded arrivals before Saturday were on 14 November, marking the longest uninterrupted stretch since 2018.
December is typically a quieter month for crossings due to adverse weather conditions, and this is thought to have contributed to the lull.
Home Office figures on the number of migrants that arrived in the UK on small boats on Saturday will be published on Sunday.
So far this year, 39,292 people have made the Channel crossing, the highest figure for any year other than 2022 when there were 45,774 arrivals.
More than 187,000 people have arrived in small boats since figures were first recorded in 2018.
The UK government has ramped up efforts to tackle small boat crossings in recent months, but the measures are not expected to have an immediate impact.
A Home Office spokesperson added: “The number of small boat crossings are shameful and the British people deserve better.
“This government is taking action. We have removed almost 50,000 people who were here illegally, and our historic deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.”
At this year’s Labour Party conference, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he would “smash” people smuggling gangs and cut the number of crossings by 2029.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy met ministers from other European nations last week to discuss reforms to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in a bid to make it easier to deport illegal migrants.
In November, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced asylum changes including making refugee status in the UK temporary and subject to review every 30 months, and sending refugees home if their country is deemed safe.
A “one in, one out” pilot agreed between the UK and France began in August. Under the scheme, for each migrant the UK returns to France, another migrant with a strong case for asylum in Britain comes the other way.
As of 27 November 2025, 153 people had been returned through this arrangement.
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