Politics · 2 August 2026
Prime minister vows relentless crackdown on small boat crossings
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Andy Burnham said enforcement teams on both sides of the Channel have doubled to target people-smuggling gangs. The Home Office, a government department handling immigration and security, reported nearly 300 arrests and the seizure of over 1,100 boats and engines last year. Approximately 43% fewer people have made small boat journeys in 2026 thus far than during the corresponding timeframe last year.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs