Labour 'asleep at the wheel' in national crisis

A CABINET minister has declined to give assurances that the number of small boat arrivals will come down by this time next year.

- By Steph Spyro

Pat McFadden admitted that ministers are going to “have to work harder” to lower the number of crossings amid record numbers in the first half of this year.

The Home Office confirmed yesterday that 440 people made the journey in eight boats on Tuesday, bringing the total for 2025 so far to 20,422.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told LBC radio “everyone in Government knows it’s a big challenge”. Pressed on whether the numbers would be down by next July, he would only say: “I’m not going to make a prediction”.