Something Odd Is Going On With Small Boat Crossings
There’s been a sharp fall in small boat crossings — and you probably haven’t heard much about it.
In August, small boat crossings were down 40% compared to last month. That makes it the lowest August figure for five years.
Why Small Boat Crossings Are Falling
Last month the UK government struck a deal with France:
- Britain would offer a safe route into the UK for asylum seekers with a well-founded case.
- In return, France would take back failed asylum seekers through a fast-track process.
At the same time, police and border security activity has been stepped up.
Plenty of people — myself included — were sceptical this would work. Yet the numbers of small boat crossings are down, and the fall looks genuine.
This fits a broader picture: since Labour came into power, overall immigration has fallen by nearly 50%.
I’m not rushing to a verdict. One month’s data doesn’t make a trend. But it’s worth watching.
And it’s a reminder that the real numbers on small boat crossings often look very different from the way the media report them.