Would closing our borders draw a majority approval from The British People - if not, why?

Since 2018, when the UK Home Office began systematically recording small boat arrivals, over 170,000 migrants have been detected crossing the English Channel in small boats up to July 30, 2025. Below is a breakdown of annual figures based on available data:

* 2018: Approximately 299 crossings (small numbers, as the phenomenon was just emerging).

* 2019: Around 1,800 crossings, with Iranians making up the majority.

* 2020: Approximately 8,500 crossings, a sharp increase due to favorable weather and smuggling networks.

* 2021: Around 28,526 crossings, with a peak in November due to unseasonably good weather.

* 2022: 45,755 crossings, the highest yearly total on record.

* 2023: Approximately 29,437 crossings, a decrease from 2022 due to factors like a returns deal with Albania and poor weather.

* 2024: Nearly 37,000 crossings, a 25% increase from 2023.

* 2025 (up to July 30): 25,436 crossings, with the 25,000 threshold reached earlier than in any previous year (by July 30, compared to August 27 in 2022).

Total (2018–July 30, 2025): Approximately 170,000+ migrants detected in small boats. This figure excludes undetected arrivals or other irregular routes (e.g., hidden in vehicles), which are harder to quantify.

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑟’𝑠 𝐿𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐺𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐶𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟?

The Labour government, led by Keir Starmer, took office on July 5, 2024, following the general election. To estimate the number of small boat crossings since then, we need to consider the period from July 5, 2024, to July 30, 2025.

* 2024 (July 5–December 31): In 2024, a total of nearly 37,000 crossings were recorded. Assuming a roughly even distribution (though crossings peak in warmer months), approximately half of 2024’s crossings occurred after July 5. This gives an estimated 18,500 crossings from July 5 to December 31, 2024.

* 2025 (January 1–July 30): 25,436 crossings were recorded.

Total (July 5, 2024–July 30, 2025): Approximately 43,936 crossings (18,500 in 2024 post-election + 25,436 in 2025). Some posts on X claim higher figures (e.g., 46,144 since Starmer became PM), but these are not corroborated by official Home Office data and may reflect unverified estimates or different counting methods. Official sources are preferred here, so I’ll stick with the conservative estimate based on Home Office figures.

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑇𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦, 𝐽𝑢𝑙𝑦 31, 2025?

On July 30, 2025, 898 migrants were recorded crossing the Channel, according to posts on X citing Home Office data.

There is no specific figure for July 31, 2025, in the provided data, as the most recent official update covers up to July 30.

However, daily figures are updated regularly, and July 30’s high of 898 suggests continued significant activity. For July 31, we can infer that crossings likely occurred, possibly in the range of hundreds based on recent trends (e.g., an average of 68 people per boat and 13 boats on July 29).