Record small boat crossings for start of year in blow to Rishi Sunak’s migrant pledge
The Home Office called the figure “unacceptable” and said it showed the importance of getting flights to Rwanda going as soon as possible
SMALL boat crossings for the start of this year have surged to the highest on record in a blow for Rishi Sunak.
Tory MPs last night demanded he do “whatever it takes” to grip the crisis as total Channel arrivals hit 4,644.
Pollsters also warned the PM risked losing votes to the right-wing Reform Party if he fails to stem the tide.
The number of illegal migrants in the first quarter yesterday surpassed the previous 2022 record of 4,548 with four days left.
It is also a whopping 23 per cent higher than at this point last year after a further 338 people arrived on seven dinghies on Tuesday - cramming an average 48 into each boat.
The Home Office called the figure “unacceptable” and said it showed the importance of getting flights to Rwanda going as soon as possible.
Yet the PM’s political enemies punched his bruises by claiming the promise to stop the boats was in tatters.
Labour’s shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said: “Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Rishi Sunak keeps on telling the British people that small boat arrivals are coming down and his promise to stop the boats remains on track.
“Can he not see what is happening from inside his No 10 bunker, or does he think we can’t see it for ourselves?”
Ex-Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick said: “When I resigned last year I said the Government’s approach to illegal migration was a triumph of hope over experience. And so it is proving.
“The public rightly demands and expects us to stop the boats. When they say they’ll do ’whatever it takes’, the Government should mean it.”
Pollster James Johnson - who served in Theresa May’s No10 - said the failure to tackle immigration could see Tory voters switch to Richard Tice’s Reform Party.
He said: “You cannot promise to ‘stop the boats’ then have them at record highs.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan pinned the blame on Labour for holding up the Rwanda deportation scheme - saying: “We need to get on with it.”
The flagship removal scheme is due to come back to the Commons on April 15 when MPs return from their Easter break.
The Home Office added: “ "We continue to work closely with French police, who are facing increasing violence and disruption on their beaches as they work tirelessly to prevent these dangerous, illegal and unnecessary journeys.
"We remain committed to building on the successes that saw arrivals drop by more than a third last year, including tougher legislation and agreements with international partners, in order to save lives and stop the boats."
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