More than 19,000 migrants have arrived in Britain on small boats so far in 2024 – after almost 500 people crossed the Channel on Saturday, according to Home Office figures.

On August 17, 492 migrants crossed the border in nine boats, bringing the provisional total for this year to 19,066.

This is an increase of 10% over the previous year’s figure of 17,346.

However, the latest figure is 10% lower than in 2022, when 21,130 border crossings were recorded during the same period.

Earlier this week, the highest number of border crossings in a single day since the Labour government came to power took place. Last Sunday, 703 people were recorded arriving in the UK in 11 boats – meaning there were an average of 64 people per boat.

“The new government is taking steps to strengthen our border security. It is setting up a new Border Force Command, bringing together our intelligence and law enforcement agencies. It will be given new counter-terrorism-style powers and will have hundreds of staff in the UK and abroad to dismantle the criminal smuggling gangs that are making millions in profits.”

One of the first actions of the new government was to abolish the Rwandan deportation programme. According to Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly, this has benefited those who capitalise on unsafe border crossings.

He said: “When Labour abandoned our deterrent measures, it sent a dangerous signal to people smugglers that they were not prepared to take the tough measures needed to control our borders. And the smugglers are now profiting from it.”

“And more than a month later, they still haven’t appointed anyone to lead their phantom border command.

“The new government must take urgent action to get the ever-increasing number of border crossings under control.”