UK Channel Crossings Drop 43%, But Surge Follows Burnham's Arrival

Provisional data shows 14,526 people crossed the English Channel in small boats so far in 2026 — down 43% from 25,436 by the same point in 2025. However, 2,057 have arrived since Andy Burnham became prime minister on July 20, including 752 on July 30, the year's busiest single day. Meanwhile, National Crime Agency officers targeting immigration crime more than doubled to nearly 800.