Britain has now seen over 10,000 small boat migrants land on its shores since Shabana Mahmood took over as Home Secretary, with 2,000 arriving in just four days.
The milestone marks the fastest pace of crossings under a Labour home secretary since 2022.
According to official figures, Thursday saw 621 arrivals, Friday 648, Saturday 503, and Sunday 349, bringing the total to 10,072 in Mahmood’s first 66 days at the Home Office.
By comparison, her predecessor Yvette Cooper took 74 days to reach the same number, while Tory predecessors James Cleverly and Priti Patel needed 171 and 583 days respectively.
Only Suella Braverman managed the milestone quicker in 2022, reaching it in just 43 days during a year marked by record arrivals, especially from Albania.
Labour’s One-in, One-out Deal With France Under Strain
Labour’s signature ‘one-in, one-out’ deportation deal with France, launched in July, has struggled to make an impact.
Since the scheme began, 17,958 migrants have crossed the Channel, yet only 94 have been deported, while 57 more were brought to the UK under the reciprocal terms.
Overall, 62,317 small boat arrivals have landed in Britain since Labour took office last year.
Officials acknowledge the deal has been compromised by repeat crossings.
In a striking example, an Iranian migrant was removed to France on September 19, after arriving in Britain the day the deal came into force on August 6.
He later escaped a French migrant shelter and returned to the Channel coast, making it back to the UK on October 18, only to be deported again on November 5.
Other deported migrants have reportedly made similar attempts to return.
Mega-Dinghies and Migrant Gangs Fuel Rapid Arrivals
Insiders say the surge is being driven by organised gangs deploying so-called ‘mega-dinghies,’ some carrying close to 100 people at a time.
These larger vessels have allowed traffickers to continue operations despite Labour’s repeated pledges to “smash the gangs.”
A government source told the Daily Mail that the timing of the 10,000 arrival milestone is “unfortunate,” as Mahmood is in the process of creating 10,000 asylum accommodation spaces using old army barracks and other sites to manage the influx.
Political Pressure Mounts on Home Secretary
The rapid pace of Channel crossings has intensified scrutiny on Mahmood, who was previously moved to the Home Office from the Foreign Office by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after facing criticism over her handling of the crisis.
With the Labour government promising a tougher approach to trafficking and deportations, critics argue the current system is failing to stem the flow.
As arrivals continue, questions are mounting about whether the new accommodations and deportation policies will be enough to cope with the ongoing surge.
Repeat Crossings Expose Weaknesses in Deportation System
The farcical case of the Iranian migrant highlights wider concerns over the UK’s ability to enforce deportations effectively.
Sources say that other migrants deported to France have repeatedly returned to the Channel coast, demonstrating the limitations of current arrangements and exposing Labour’s system to further criticism.
Officials and insiders warn that unless measures are strengthened and traffickers’ operations disrupted, the flow of small boat arrivals is unlikely to slow, leaving the Home Office scrambling to balance humanitarian obligations with border security.
The situation continues to unfold, with government officials closely monitoring arrivals while attempting to make the new accommodations and deportation scheme work amid rising political and public pressure.