𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

A Cabinet Minister has suggested that not every migrant boat can be intercepted, after two uncontrolled landings from the Channel in two days. Education Secretary Lucy Powell branded the situation “not acceptable” but insisted there was an “improving picture”.

When she was asked if the boats reaching the UK was embarrassing, the Cabinet minister responded: “(You) can’t stop everything all of the time. “Of course, it’s a concern. That’s why the Home Secretary has demanded and ordered this urgent review because this is not what we want to see. This is not acceptable.

“But the overall picture is an improving picture. It is hard, difficult work that requires constant, constant effort by our border forces, our security services, police, our partnerships with France and other countries. This is a mammoth and huge task, which is now starting to reap some dividends. But of course, you know where there are still issues arising, we must absolutely tackle them.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood already branded the failure to intercept two migrant boats in two days before they reached the Kent coast as “not acceptable”.

The Home Secretary, who has ordered an urgent review by the Border Security Command, said “even one” uncontrolled landing is “one too many”.

Twenty-one people were detained after a boat arrived on the beach of Samphire Hoe, Dover, on Tuesday afternoon.

It came after a dinghy made it to shore at Folkestone on Monday morning – the first undetected landing for a year.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour has lost control of our borders A radically different approach is needed We need to leave the ECHR so anyone entering Britain illegally can be rapidly deported No hotels. No benefits. No lengthy court process. No asylum claim. Just rapid removal. Then the crossings will soon stop.”

The thousands of migrants crossing the Channel are usually brought to shore by Border Security Command or RNLI boats.

Before Monday, no small boat arrivals to the UK coast without an escort had been officially recorded since September 6 2025.

Uncontrolled landings are so rare that last year’s incident was the only other one recorded since the Home Office began keeping data in 2023.