Labour’s new border security unit faces major challenges, as campaigners warn they need a better plan for safe routes
As Labour swept into power on Friday, there had not been any small boat crossings in the English Channel for three days. Numbers are still running at an all-time high, with more than 13,500 people making the treacherous journey so far this year, but high winds and rough seas have created a temporary respite for Keir Starmer’s government.
Officials are clear that it will not last. “The boats will come and numbers are likely to continue rising,” says Lucy Moreton of the ISU union that represents Border Force staff. “There are a large number of people in France wanting to make that crossing. The demand is there and there’s no suggestion that it will stop any time soon.”
