Tensions boiled over on BBC’s Question Time when a Labour minister sparked outrage by claiming that most small boat migrants crossing the Channel are “women and children.”
The audience wasn’t having it—many pushed back immediately, citing very different facts.
Worst Year on Record for Small Boat Crossings
With more than 14,800 people already arriving in the UK by small boat in 2025, it’s shaping up to be the worst start to the year since records began.
And the flow hasn’t slowed—migrants were still being transported from Dover this morning after being picked up at sea.
The Debate That Sparked a Backlash
During Thursday night’s broadcast of Question Time, Labour’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones made the claim that most small boat arrivals are “children, babies, and women.”
Audience members audibly disagreed, and Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf jumped in to correct him, citing official figures.
The Facts Tell a Different Story
According to the Home Office, 73% of small boat arrivals in 2024—nearly 27,000 people out of almost 37,000—were adult men.
When Yusuf pointed this out, presenter Fiona Bruce asked Jones directly if he stood by his statement.
He doubled down, saying it was controversial but true “in some cases,” especially when referring to victims of trafficking.
Emotional Arguments vs. Hard Numbers
Jones tried to highlight the suffering of migrants, especially children affected by burns from oil and seawater. “Look at those babies and tell them to go back,” he urged.
But Yusuf countered forcefully: “The vast majority of those coming are military-age males, not women and kids.”
He criticized the government for focusing more on foreigners than UK citizens.
Public Frustration Over Migrant Housing
The debate quickly turned to asylum housing, with Yusuf referencing the case of Runcorn—a deprived UK town he said is being overwhelmed by houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) filled with asylum seekers.
He blamed this on what he called an “unholy alliance” between Serco and Labour’s Yvette Cooper.
Labour’s Hotel Pledge Sparks More Questions
Earlier this week, Labour’s Rachel Reeves pledged to end the use of hotels for migrant housing by 2029.
She also promised to speed up the asylum process and save £1 billion.
But the fine print of the spending review still sets aside £2.5 billion annually for asylum support by the end of the decade, leading critics to question the sincerity of the promise.
France Cracks Down With Tear Gas, But Crossings Continue
Meanwhile, dramatic scenes are playing out in northern France, where French police are using tear gas and pepper spray to stop migrants from launching boats to Britain.
Officers were seen dragging people from the sea, but despite efforts, dozens still made it across to Dover this morning.
Record-Breaking Numbers Keep Climbing
Today’s arrivals push the total to 14,812 for 2025 so far—surpassing the previous first-half-year record of 13,489, set last June.
For comparison, in 2024, the UK didn’t cross 14,000 arrivals until July 9.
Government Strategy Under Fire
The UK government insists it’s cracking down.
That includes more elite officers on the French coast, a new Border Security Command, and anti-smuggling intelligence operations in places like Dunkirk.
A new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill aims to create fresh criminal offenses and give law enforcement powers similar to those used in counterterrorism.
Critics Say It’s Not Enough Without Real Deterrents
Despite the aggressive approach, many experts argue it won’t work unless migrants feel strongly discouraged from making the journey.
And as public frustration grows, Labour finds itself on the defensive—especially with ministers like Darren Jones making statements that contradict official statistics.
When asked whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak still has confidence in Jones, a spokesperson simply said “Yes”—but avoided directly engaging with questions about the data.