Approximately 30,000 migrants undertook the perilous journey across the Channel to Britain via small boats in 2023, marking a drop of over a third compared to the previous year, as per government data released on Monday.
Despite this decrease, the unauthorized arrival of 29,437 individuals on the southeast coast of England represents the second-highest annual figure since official records began in 2018.
These treacherous voyages through one of the world’s busiest shipping routes have evolved into a significant political challenge for the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Last year, Sunak vowed to “stop the boats” as one of his five key promises for 2023. However, the struggle to curb persistently high migrant arrivals could potentially haunt Sunak as he gears up for an impending general election this year.
Although Sunak mentioned last month that there’s no definitive timeline for fulfilling his commitment, he may highlight the 36 percent reduction in small-boat arrivals from the previous year’s record high of 45,000 migrants in 2022.
The government asserts that their £480 million ($610 million) agreement with France, aimed at intensifying efforts to prevent migrant crossings, along with swift return agreements made with nations like Albania, are beginning to yield positive results.
However, the Labour Party, the primary opposition, contends that Sunak has fallen short of his promise and criticizes the chaos within his immigration policies, despite enjoying a significant lead in polls throughout Sunak’s nearly 15 months in office.
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