Sunday marked the day with the highest number of migrants crossing the English Channel.
534 made the journey in 10 small boats, which took this year’s total so far to 6,265.
This is 28 per cent higher than the total at the equivalent point last year, which was 4,899.
Sources have told GB News that “thousands of migrants have been waiting in northern France for the weather to improve so they could make the crossing”.
High winds and waves had prevented crossings since last Monday, when 82 migrants arrived in the UK.
Flat calm conditions saw another 10 small boats make the illegal crossing on Sunday, carrying more than 500 mainly young men, but with a small number of women and children as well.
Last year, the Prime Minister was able to claim that his “stop the boats” policy was the main driver behind a fall of a third in the number of migrants crossing the Channel.
Sunday saw the largest number of migrants crossing the English Channel
PA
But already this year, the total is well ahead of the numbers crossing at this point in 2023.
The Government believes its Rwanda bill, which is expected to become law later this week, will act as a key deterrent to those planning to use people smugglers in northern France.
Ministers hope it will “break the business model” of the criminal gangs who are making many millions in profit from their illegal trade in human cargo.
Officials are preparing for the first flights to leave the UK for Rwanda within weeks.
But the likelihood is that the new law will face a fresh wave of legal challenges, which could add more delays to the plan.
With that in mind, have you given up on the Tories controlling illegal immigration? Have your say.
