UK politics
fromwww.independent.co.uk
4 days agoMore than 200,000 people have now crossed Channel in small boats
Small-boat arrivals in the UK have surpassed 200,000 since 2018, with 70 crossings reported on Friday and rising totals in 2023-2025.
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has released figures which, she says, shows that raids to catch people working in the UK illegally have reached the highest level in British history. The PA Media write-up is a tad less hyperbolic, saying the figures are at their highest level since current records began in 2019. PA reports: Some 12,791 visits took place in 2025, up 57% from 8,122 in the previous year, to businesses such as nail bars, car washes, barbers and takeaway shops.