10 h. ago If stopping the boats were simple, it would have happened by now

Editorial: With the number of people who have crossed the Channel on small boats since Keir Starmer came to power passing 50,000, it is a reminder that, during the election, Labour gave the impression it had a plan to fix the problem of irregular migration. But that is not to decry their efforts so far

Politics

47 h. ago Here’s the truth about Britain’s immigration hysteria: Starmer and co have whipped it up to get cheap votes | Nesrine Malik

He is part of a political establishment that is fuelling a crisis way beyond the point that they can ever be seen to solve it. It’s a cynical, idiotic doom loopImmigration has been a fixture of Britain’s political discourse for so long, it now feels, like Voltaire’s god, that if the issue did not exist, we would have to invent it. What would our politics look like, what would the broad majority of Britain’s media do with themselves, without immigration? It has become such a feature of the country’s political culture, it amounts to a sort of historical exhibit: “rivers of blood”, the “hostile environment”, “go home” vans, “controls on immigration” crockery, the Brexit “breaking point” poster, the Windrush scandal, “stop the boats”, “island of strangers”. And now, summer riots.What conjoins all of these is one thing: misinformation. I have banged on for years in this column about the disconnect between immigration discourse and the reality of how hard and expensive it is to enter the ...

Politics

4 d. ago Border Force search charity row boat mistaken for ‘illegal migrants’ by Rupert Lowe

A group of charity rowers were stopped and searched by a Border Force patrol boat after MP Rupert Lowe mistakenly identified them as “illegal immigrants” on social media.

Events

8 d. ago Voices: Will Labour’s new migrant controls stop the boats or encourage Nigel Farage?

As home secretary Yvette Cooper announces £100m to pay for more border officers and new surveillance technology, among a raft of key measures, Sean O'Grady admits that there is no silver bullet to stopping illegal immigration – and that slow, unshowy progress risks playing into Reform UK’s hands

Events

9 d. ago Ministers to spend extra £100m on stopping small boat crossings to UK

Home Office’s announcement follows growing number of protests outside asylum seeker hotelsMinisters will spend an extra £100m on measures to deter Channel crossings, including on the planned “one in, one out” returns agreement with France, the Home Office has said.In a third immigration policy pledge within 24 hours, the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the money would pay for up to 300 more National Crime Agency officers, as well as new technology and equipment to step up intelligence-gathering on people-smuggling gangs. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Leaked document shows boat slashing failed to stop migrants reaching UK

Coastguard log raises new concerns over safety and viability of flagship policy to intercept dinghies crossing ChannelNew concerns about the safety and viability of the flagship UK-French policy to intercept migrant dinghies at sea have emerged after a coastguard log leaked to the Guardian revealed a recent boat-slashing incident that failed to stop people reaching the UK.Despite the government’s pledge to stop overcrowded dinghies crossing the Channel, the number of people arriving in the UK on small boats this year has increased by about 50% compared with the same period last year, with more than 21,000 crossing so far in 2025. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Migrant clashes erupt in northern France with rocks launched at riot cops and fires blazing in the street as police try to stop launch of small boat bound for Britain

Dramatic pictures and video show a group throwing rocks in the direction of the officers early on Friday, while fires blazed in the road near a park in Gravelines.

Events

3 w. ago Moment French coastguard hand out lifejackets to migrants on small boat as they prepare to cross the Channel for Britain

The coastguard made zero effort to stop the inflatable boat packed with mainly young men before it motored off from the coast near Calais this morning.

Events

4 w. ago French action ‘has prevented nearly 500 small boat crossings this year’

Yvette Cooper told MPs French actions have stopped 496 boat crossings this year so far, while 385 arrived in the UK.

Politics