Keir Starmer told stopping all small boats ‘unrealistic’ as PM’s migrant record laid bare

The small boats crisis continues to plague Britain’s shores, with crossings reaching record levels under the new government. Nearly 30,000 migrants have arrived since last summer – that’s over 100 people every single day making the dangerous Channel crossing.

Military leaders admit there’s no quick fix. “We can make it harder for them, but we’ll never completely stop the boats,” said the head of border operations. The people smugglers are simply too well-organized, using social media to openly advertise their illegal services while constantly finding new ways to evade authorities.

Opposition MPs are piling pressure on the government after it scrapped the previous administration’s Rwanda deportation plan. “This was entirely predictable,” said one critic. “Without a proper deterrent, the numbers were always going to rise.”

Behind the political arguments lies a growing operational challenge. Border Force officers are intercepting boats daily, while police work with European counterparts to disrupt smuggling networks. But as one official put it: “For every route we close, they find another. It’s like playing whack-a-mole.”

The human cost remains stark – overcrowded dinghies capsizing in busy shipping lanes, lives lost to the waves. Yet still they come, driven by war, persecution and the hope of a better life in Britain. With crossings continuing at near-record levels, the government faces tough questions about whether its current approach is working.