THE NUMBER of people crossing the English Channel in small boats during Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s tenure is poised to exceed 50,000 within the next 24 hours. This milestone comes as Sunak nears the end of his twentieth month in office, a stark contrast to the thirty-five months it took his predecessor, Boris Johnson, to reach the same figure.

The UK government says it wants to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda to deter people from crossing the English Channel in small boats.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says if he wins the general election, the first flights will leave for Rwanda later in July.

But Keir Starmer has pledged to scrap the Rwanda scheme if Labour wins and would instead use counter-terrorism powers to stop gangs smuggling people across the Channel.

As of Saturday evening, the tally of small boat arrivals under Sunak’s leadership stood at 49,709. With three Border Force catamarans already active in the Channel and favourable weather conditions predicted for the next day, the count is expected to increase significantly before midday on Monday.

Currently, 2024 is on track to be the most challenging year on record for small boat arrivals. The total number of arrivals this year stands at 12,646, with projections indicating it will surpass 13,000 within the next 24 hours. This would be the first time such a figure has been reached before the midpoint of the year.

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Paymaster General, criticised Sunak’s handling of the situation, stating, “Rishi Sunak will always be known as the Prime Minister who broke his promises to Britain. He pledged to stop the boats, yet 50,000 people have made the crossing on his watch. This year is shaping up to be the worst ever for small boat arrivals.”

Ashworth also highlighted other areas where he believes Sunak has failed, including rising national debt, increased NHS waiting lists, and economic recession. He pointed out that Sunak’s promise to cut taxes resulted in the highest tax burden in 70 years and accused the Prime Minister of not maintaining integrity in Downing Street.

On Sunday morning, three of the five Border Force catamarans were deployed from Ramsgate to assist with operations in the Channel. Additionally, RNLI lifeboats were in use. Historical data shows that 2024 has seen a 16% increase in arrivals compared to the same period last year, with the total number of arrivals since 2018 now standing at 126,968. Notably, nearly 40% of these crossings have occurred during Sunak’s premiership.

Labour’s Five-Point Plan

Labour has proposed a comprehensive five-point plan to reform the asylum system:

1. Border Security Command: Establish a new elite Border Security Command to combat people smuggling gangs.
2. End Hotel Use: Halt the use of hotels for asylum seekers within 12 months and expedite returns to safe countries.
3. Resettlement Reform: Redesign resettlement schemes to include a clearer process for refugees with UK family connections.
4. International Agreements: Negotiate new agreements for safe returns and family reunions for child refugees.
5. Humanitarian Aid: Address humanitarian crises at their source and restore the 0.7% aid commitment when fiscally possible.

Ashworth concluded by urging voters to choose Labour for meaningful change, stating, “Change will only come if you vote for it with Labour.”

POLICE in Pembroke Dock are investigating an incident which took place in the vicinity of Pembroke Road and Prospect Place on Saturday night (Jun 22).

Police have taped off Prospect Place. Specialist officers including a forensic team are collecting evidence at the scene.

Detectives have been seen doing door-to-door inquiries with local residents to collect statements from anyone who heard the disturbance or saw anything happen, The Herald understands.

A resident living nearby the location of the incident, who spoke on condition of not being named, said: “We haven’t really been told anything yet, but the are loads of police here, and it looks like quite a serious incident has happened.

“The road has been closed off since the early hours of the morning with police tape. The pub is on the corner, and this happened just on the other side of the road of the side of it, just near where by neighbours had their wall repaired.

“Its quite frightening as we seem to be having a lot of trouble in the Dock at the moment, I hope that everyone involved is okay.”

The public are advised to avoid the area whist the police conduct their investigations.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will update this breaking story when an official statement has been released from the police, and other emergency services.

THE RNLI St Davids Lifeboat Station hosted a successful open day today, drawing in locals and visitors alike. The event featured full station tours and refreshments, with many enjoying a relaxing cuppa and cake along the picturesque coast path.

The station expressed heartfelt thanks to the community for their generous support. A special mention was made for the local bakers who donated an array of delicious cakes, which were sold to raise funds for the lifeboat station. The total amount raised will be announced shortly.

The open day was made possible by the dedicated volunteers, crew members, and fundraisers who selflessly give their time to the vital mission of saving lives at sea. Their unwavering commitment and hard work are truly commendable.

“We salute you,” the RNLI St Davids Lifeboat Station stated in their message of gratitude.

The event underscored the strong community spirit and the shared commitment to supporting the life-saving efforts of the RNLI.

Over £650 was raised, the RNLI said.

John Williams, Lifeboat Operations Manager for St Davids RNLI lifeboat, added: “On behalf of St Davids Lifeboat station, I just wanted to extend our warmest gratitude to each and every one of you who joined us for our station open day. Your presence and interaction with our stations team made the event a truly special occasion!

“A big shout-out to our dedicated fundraisers, volunteers and crew who generously gave their time to showcase our station to the public. Special thanks to all those who baked and donated cakes for the event, their delicious contributions were a massive success! Without your unwavering support and the donations you made, we wouldn’t be able to continue our life-saving mission around our coastline.”