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.”