Almost 1,000 migrants crossed the English Channel over the bank holiday weekend, because nothing says 'long weekend' like a perilous sea journey in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Latest Home Office figures show 989 people arrived in the UK in 14 boats between Friday and Monday, following almost a fortnight of no crossings at all. Apparently, the weather was nice and the smugglers were running a special.
That means more than one in 10 people entering the country from mainland Europe so far this year arrived during the bank holiday weekend. The Home Office, in a statement that sounds like it was written by someone who's been watching too many action movies, said it was 'bearing down' on small boat crossings. They also announced a landmark £662m deal with France to boost 'enforcement action on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars,' which will involve drones, two helicopters, a camera system, and riot-trained police on French beaches. Because nothing says 'holiday' like cops with batons.
The Home Office claims it has stopped more than 42,000 migrants trying to cross since the 2024 election and removed or deported almost 60,000 people who were here illegally. Crossings typically spike in August and September, though the overall number so far in 2026 (8,565) is 37% lower than at the same point last year. The peak was in 2022, when over 45,000 people made the journey. One can only assume they were all looking for a decent cup of tea.