More than 1,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats since Friday. According to GB News, this brings the total number of migrants arriving via the English Channel to 10,349 since the start of this year.
The latest figures contradict Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's statements that policies aimed at ending the small boat crisis were "starting to work" with a 20% drop in crossing numbers compared to the same period in 2022.
"More than £5.5 million a day is currently being spent on providing hotel accommodation for asylum seekers," British media write.
Official figures from the Home Office reveal that on Friday, another 486 people were picked up by 10 small boats in the English Channel, while on Saturday another 374 were picked up and taken to the port of Dover.
Today (June 18), 210 migrants were picked up by four small boats.
Another dinghy was spotted in French waters and is currently heading towards the UK. Maritime experts in Kent said the drop in migrant arrivals in the English Channel had more to do with bad weather in recent months than any change in policy.
More than 45,000 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK in small boats last year, according to government figures.
