𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Five people were detained on Monday after a small boat reached Folkestone without being intercepted by UK or French authorities. The Home Office described the incident as “isolated and rare” and said an investigation was under way. The latest incident comes as reports emerge of another boat crossing the English Channel on Tuesday, keeping the issue firmly in the spotlight.

Some 17,480 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel by small boat so far this year, including 5,011 since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister. However, the 2026 total is down 46 % compared with the same point last year. Mr Burnham has made tackling the crossings a key part of his government’s approach to border security. Earlier this month, he met French President Emmanuel Macron in Downing Street, and the two leaders agreed that efforts to tackle small boats needed to be “scaled up”. So, what do you think? Is Andy Burnham taking the small boats crisis in the English Channel seriously enough? Vote in our poll and share your views in the comments below.

The Government has also announced extra French police officers to help tackle launches from the French coast, while ministers say closer co-operation with France is helping to reduce crossings.

Supporters of Mr Burnham’s approach could point to the fall in arrivals and increased UK-French co-operation as evidence that action is having an impact. Official figures show 143 migrants arrived in two boats during the week ending September 13, while 100 people were prevented from crossing.

However, critics could argue that thousands of people are still making the journey and that smugglers are adapting their tactics. A BBC investigation found gangs were increasingly using larger “mega-dinghies”, including one vessel carrying a record 230 migrants, while average boat numbers have increased significantly in recent years.

The latest undetected landing has also raised questions about whether the authorities have sufficient control of the Channel, although the Government says the UK’s borders remain secure and that the incident is being investigated.